


Strongblood

by xdestroying



Series: Strongblood [Vampire AU] [1]
Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, And some smashed furniture, Barebacking, Blood, Explicit Sexual Content, Fantasy, Initially inspired by 'Interview with the Vampire', M/M, Mating Rituals, Minor Character Death, Oral Sex, Political conflict, Racial Conflict, Rough Sex, Vampire Sex, Vampires, Violence, Weapons, fang kink, light come play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-06-10 08:32:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 101,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15287754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xdestroying/pseuds/xdestroying
Summary: “And you don’t mind the recording?”“Absolutely not, go ahead as you please, Matsumoto-san.”The recording cracks and splutters a bit, the noise irritating in the speakers until the device has been put down and adjusted to ensure a sound as clean as possible.A calm inhale can be heard before one of the men starts talking again, “Should you be uncomfortable, just let me know, and I will stop the device.”“I am quite sure that will not be necessary. I have no secrets. Now, please continue.”“Very well. How old is it that you are, Sakurai-san?”





	1. Chapter 1

“And you don’t mind the recording?”

“Absolutely not, go ahead as you please, Matsumoto-san.”

The recording cracks and splutters a bit, the noise irritating in the speakers until the device has been put down and adjusted to ensure a sound as clean as possible.

A calm inhale can be heard before one of the men starts talking again, “Should you be uncomfortable, just let me know, and I will stop the device.”

“I am quite sure that will not be necessary. I have no secrets. Now, please continue.”

“Very well. How old is it that you are, Sakurai-san?”

 

-

 

The young man in front of him cuts straight to the chase it seems, not bothering to go through the pleasantries or more… subtle questions, before moving to the interesting ones. For both himself and for Sho.

His hands are folded in his lap in front of him, and he tries not to smirk too widely when he answers, “How aggressive. I am 432. You can be bolder, age is but a number to me.”

If Matsumoto is affected by Sho’s age, he does not show it. But Sho knows that even for an elder vampire, an age like his is rare. Matsumoto, however, is an experienced reporter and quite talented despite how young he is. In fact, Sho knows almost everything about Matsumoto. And it is no surprise that the man is also talented at hiding his perceptions.

“And have you always lived in Japan?” Matsumoto barely looks at him, and when he does, his eyes are emotionless, albeit with disguised chill.

“Would you stay in the same place for 432 years?” Sho asks back, tilting his head.

“I wouldn’t know, Sakurai-san, I am but 30. And I will never live that long.”

Sho hums, noticing how Matsumoto does not appear the least bit annoyed at getting a question for an answer, “Is that so.”

The interviewer blinks slowly, watching Sho now and clearly expecting more of a response. He appears patient, Sho has got to give it to him, especially when he knows that Matsumoto is not always this lenient.

“And you have never considered becoming a vampire?” Sho challenges.

“You didn’t answer my question, Sakurai-san,” Matsumoto’s voice is cool, “From your response, I assume you have been traveling the world. You must speak many languages. Compared to humans, do vampires learn faster?”

Sho leans further back in the chair and inhales deeply, pondering the question. He will let Matsumoto have this round, “From what I have observed, it depends on when the human is turned. As you and I both know, once bitten, your aging will slow down. Of course, that means it is also entirely different for a pureblood vampire,” Sho grins, feeling his fangs catching slightly on his bottom lip, “It is during particular stages of childhood and adolescence that the brain is more susceptible to learning, and so, after you pass that certain stage, it is harder to learn. It is the same for vampires. However, we never grow old and senile. Like humans do.”

“So, in essence, you’re saying you have more time to learn? That vampires will never go to that stage where the brain is no longer able to learn new things?”

“I did not say that. I merely said vampires have more time. Depending on when your aging is stopped by the bite as well as how pure your blood is.”

Matsumoto is scribbling down on his small notebook, though he barely looks down now. Perhaps sharing of interesting information is the only way to get Matsumoto’s full attention? Seeing as the reporter is not affected by Sho’s taunting, “And for you? When will your brain wither?”

Sho bursts out laughing. Matsumoto sure is brave.

Then Sho rests his head in his hand, elbow propped onto the armrest of his chair. He looks at Matsumoto, holds his eyes to see whether the man will back down. He does not.

So Sho smirks slowly, “Never, Matsumoto.”

More scribbling. And this time, Matsumoto looks down.

*

There is that sophisticated smirk again. Gods know, Jun has never seen anyone smirk quite like that.

The vampire is completely relaxed, switching between throwing bold questions back at Jun and generously offering elaborate explanations in turn for something Jun is not quite aware of what is. He cannot yet comprehend what the price for answers is. This vampire is surely making Jun work for his money. One misstep and Jun will not get the information he needs, or worse yet, say something he cannot take back.

It is the first time Jun has willingly been this close to a vampire, and to say he is unfazed would be a lie. But any human would probably find themselves at a huge disadvantage in front of a pureblood vampire like Sakurai Sho, who is one of the longest-living vampires known to humans. Whether there are more as old as him is one of the mysteries Jun hopes to be able to uncover. Though this interview is for a reportage, a simple article, Jun has always wanted to publish a book, and if he could get Sakurai to reveal secrets yet untold, Jun may just succeed.

Jun has always been fascinated by the mysterious, the unknown and the slightly dangerous. Investigating the unexplainable and finding the answer through hard, daunting work brings him a thrill like nothing else. His employers have always told him how he becomes too involved, how he likes walking that fine line between brave and reckless too much. Jun’s friends have countless times told him he is an adrenaline-junkie of sorts. So, naturally, Jun is also interested in this undead creature walking amongst men, sometimes unseen, or – as in Sakurai’s case – known by everyone.

Before the interview, Jun thoroughly investigated everything there is to know about the ancient vampire, his origins, his family, his activities. And although Sakurai agreed surprisingly easily to an interview with Jun’s magazine – as long as Jun was the one to conduct the interview, Sho words, not Jun’s – the sources available on his background were few. Jun only knows he is a member of the vampire council in Japan; one that sets rules for the vampire community and negotiates with the human council, to ensure the upholding of what is honestly a rather unstable agreement. Additionally, Jun knows Sakurai is born a vampire, fathered by one particularly legendary vampire whose cause of death a hundred years ago remains unknown, along with the identity of Sakurai’s mother. Even Sakurai’s age – until Jun asked the question – is a fact unknown to the public.

Now, Jun does not particularly _like_ vampires. If he is being completely honest with himself, he finds them disgusting, the thought of them needing blood to sustain their already dead bodies sends chills down his spine when he thinks about it. But somehow, being face to face with one also puts him in a place of admiration for the creature that has lived for so many years. Surely, one can get tired of life?

Sakurai does not look a year above 30, jawline stark in the dim light, his shoulders and arms clearly defined underneath his form-fitted suit jacket. And he surely does not look like someone from the 16th century with his stylish waistcoat and white shirt. As a matter of fact, there is nothing remotely old about him. Sakurai is sophisticated and calm, a far cry from the horrendous creatures portrayed on children’s shows and in horror movies. Actually, he does not look like a vampire at all with his healthy complexion, albeit a little pale, his dark, brown eyes and his full lips. His speech however, is incredibly formal, while Jun continues to uphold a less polite way of speech, if only to possibly annoy the vampire. His eyes, however, appear aged, experienced, as if Sakurai has seen much, maybe too much, of misery and war.

“Excuse me, Sakurai-san. But you do not look like the typical vampire, to me. I thought all vampires were undeadly pale with grey eyes and protruding fangs?”

“I’ll tell you why, Matsumoto-san, and it certainly is not because I wear makeup,” the vampire seems almost delighted to tell Jun the answer to this one, “The image you have of vampires is the appearance of vampires who were bitten. And bitten by lesser vampires. Purebloods are very different. That includes when purebloods bite someone. If I were to bite you, Matsumoto, I would be quite curious to see how your looks would change.”

A chill runs down Jun’s spine, but he refuses to let Sakurai see the fear in his eyes, so he hurries to counter what he is unsure of how to perceive; whether what Sakurai used to explain was a threat or a mere example.

“It sounds like you have no idea what will happen to someone you bite, Sakurai-san.”

The vampire smiles mysteriously. So, Jun pushes again,

“Is it safe for me to assume that you’ve never bitten anyone before?”

The recording is going to need editing. Because the next minute or two has Sakurai staring at Jun, not replying, but somehow answering Jun anyway, with just his eyes and the way he keeps quiet, that unreadable expression on his face. It is hard for Jun not to let it get to him, and when he snaps out of it, realizing how he seems to have been held captive by Sakurai’s eyes, he clears his throat, deciding to skip that question.

“I am going to grab a cup of coffee; do you want one?” Jun moves to get up, “Are you comfortable with continuing?”

“Why thank you, I would like a cup.” Crinkles appear in the corners of Sakurai’s eyes when he smiles, and Jun suspects he knows exactly what Jun did with that question. Might as well have asked: _So, do you consume anything but blood?_

Jun will make sure to delve further into that question once he returns with the coffee.

“I take mine black…?”

“I’ll have the same, thank you, Matsumoto-san.”

Jun closes the door carefully behind him when he walks out, both to make Sakurai feel more comfortable, should he feel anyone is peeking, and to shut out the possibility that Sakurai may peek at Jun. Knowing Jun’s colleagues, he would not put it past them to curiously walk up to the door and gawk at Sakurai; they have never had anyone quite like Sakurai Sho in their office building. There is currently a pureblood vampire in one of their meeting rooms, and Jun knows not all of his colleagues like the thought of that. People will always fear what they do not understand, especially a creature potentially very dangerous.

Jun has no idea how powerful Sakurai’s senses are, but the air surrounding the vampire has Jun strongly suspecting that purebloods are leagues above the usual vampire on the street. Which would mean that not only is Sakurai strong and fast, his hearing is enhanced too. Jun knows to just walk straight to the coffee machine, without talking with anyone. Part of him regrets not having done this interview in the privacy of his own apartment, though the thought is weighted out by the outrageousness and risk of inviting a vampire into his home.

As he pours two cups of steaming black coffee into mugs, Jun lets the thrill of the situation get to his brain, just for this moment. Despite the danger, despite the risk and the uncertainty, Jun is ecstatic that he managed to land this interview. He does not care if he has to fight for it, he will learn everything there is to know about the vampire community, about purebloods, about Sakurai himself, not so much for the sake of a book, but because his curiosity has been piqued, and it is currently roaring at him to take this opportunity and run with it. No matter the cost.

When he returns to the small meeting room, Sakurai is standing by the tall window, bathed in the crisp winter light, and the sight alone crosses out another one of Jun’s questions.

“I hope it tastes alright. It should be freshly made.” Jun announces to make Sakurai turn back to face him.

“Thank you.”

Sakurai does not move away from the window, even as Jun sits back down and picks up his notebook again. An inviting steam rises from the coffee cups, somehow managing to calm down Jun’s rapidly beating heart, its cosy smell soothing Jun’s mind.

“You’re standing in the sunlight, Sakurai-san,” Jun states, “Is that another ability of a pureblood?”

Sakurai leans against the window frame with crossed arms, “It is.”

“Are there any other obvious differences between the pureblood vampire and the ones that used to be humans?”

“Well, I might as well dismiss some of the myths attributed to all those ridiculous horror movies,” Sakurai looks bored all of a sudden, “We all have reflections, none of us sleep in coffins and we can consume food, although it is not necessary for us like it is for humans. Purebloods do not get diseases, but lesser vampires can carry them, and purebloods live longer than bitten vampires. We are, as you pointed out yourself, undead, frozen in our current form. Although, I would not let a pureblood hear you say that.”

Jun realizes he is biting his bottom lip, and he hurries to reach for his coffee to try and hide it, though he knows Sakurai must have seen it. Sakurai is the type of character who seems to remember everything that is said to him, and Jun wonders what he has just done to Sakurai’s impression of him, although it should hardly matter to a reporter, who is often disliked merely because of his job position.  Furthermore, Jun is not doing this interview to earn Sakurai’s favour, although it could become handy to be in good graces with a pureblood vampire.

The black liquid is hot on Jun’s tongue, burning as he swallows too hurriedly, and Jun curses himself internally for possibly making his anxiety even more evident. In the corner of his eye, Jun catches Sakurai’s movement when he changes posture, putting his hands behind his back to walk a few slow steps in front of the window.

“Whether it be silver or wood, our weakness against such is also a myth. We do not have weaknesses like that. Cut us apart or bleed us out, both options will kill off a vampire.” When Jun looks up, he sees amusement in Sakurai’s eyes where he thought he would find derision or irritation, and it throws him off. Is Sakurai amused at his own words or Jun’s behaviour? “Not that a human will ever find such a task easy to complete.”

When he crosses the room, his movements seem to be fluid; unhurried and graceful, yet held with a manly strength, and he reaches for his cup once back in the chair, to inhale the dark scent, “Smells like good coffee.”

Jun swallows a smile, with his knowledge of how he picked the brand for the office after too many cups of grinded beans that were sour and cheap. Jun knows he has good taste in such things, but to pick something even Sakurai would like, that must surely be a feat.

“I was wondering-”

“Matsumoto-san,” Sakurai interrupts him just as he puts the mug back on the table, “You were doing this interview for a report on vampires, correct?”

There is no way Jun would be affronted by Sakurai cutting him off, his curiosity at what the vampire wants to say ruling out all thoughts of annoyance, “Yes.”

Sakurai leans forward to rest his head in his palm, “It seems to me that the knowledge you seek is far deeper than for any common, vain article for a simple newspaper company.”

At the discovery, Jun falls silent. What should he say to that? Has Sakurai, in just the brief time of this interview, already figured out how intrigued Jun is by the existence of vampires? That observation in itself is not a terrible thing, Jun is writing an article on the creatures after all, but so far, Sakurai has made no inquiry to what he may want in return for the knowledge provided, and since Jun knows very little about him, there is no saying what Sakurai could be planning.

“You have asked for nothing in return for this.” Jun wonders if his voice gives the slight fear away.

Sakurai blinks then, surprisingly looking momentarily confused. Then he smiles, “Oh, please do not misunderstand, Matsumoto-san. I am simply trying to comprehend your motives here. I would never take advantage of a human. You would not be able to fight back.”

The smirk he shows Jun then makes blood rise to Jun’s face; he can feel the heat, and only part of it is due to embarrassment. Is Sakurai challenging him? Mocking him? Jun is unsure, he cannot read the vampire at all.

“I have a suggestion,” Sakurai leans back to reach into the inside pocket of his suit, to procure a small, square piece of paper, “If you are as interested in coffee as you appear to be, there is a place, I think you may find interesting.” He slides the card across the table with just the tips of his fingers, smirking when Jun looks up at him, “Meet me here, and I’ll tell you anything you want to know. And more.”

 

*

 

“And then you invited him to Oh-chan’s place? That’s… surprising.”

Sho’s self-satisfied grin only widens.

“You’re really bored, aren’t you? Even inviting this reporter to our go-to coffee place. I can’t believe you sometimes, Sho-chan.”

“It’s as you said, Nino. I am bored. Why not see what this journalist has up his sleeve? Maybe it’ll prove interesting.”

Ninomiya raises an eyebrow at him, “Is he handsome?”

Sho shrugs, “As handsome as a human can be, I suppose.”

Rolling his eyes, Ninomiya relaxes into the chair again, “Aw come on, Sho-chan. You don’t have to pretend to be better than everyone else _all_ the time. Cut yourself some slack. You’ll eventually starve to death if you continue to be this picky.”

“Don’t you preach to me. You, who’ll practically tear into anything.”

“I eat to _survive_ , Sho-chan. You should do the same.”

Sho smiles affectionately, watching as his friend continues to stab his hamburger rhythmically with a fork in a somewhat berating manner.

Right, survival.

Ninomiya Kazunari and he are complete opposites in so many ways. For one, Ninomiya is not born a vampire. Bitten when he was very young, however, has left him very much acting like a naturally born vampire. As opposed to Sho, Nino can do practically anything he wants. With no family or history to dictate his life, he enjoys every moment of it, except for the consumption of food and blood. He eats to live and not the other way around. Sho would not call himself picky, but when it comes to blood, he has particular tastes and would never settle for anything less than that, nor would he be allowed to, given his blood status. In terms of food, there is hardly anything Sho does not enjoy, except for coriander, which he cannot _for the life of him get down_ , which means he partakes in anything from omurice to fine cuisine, regardless of what anyone may think of him.

Where Sho’s family has never lacked anything, their wealth much more than any of them could possibly spend in a million years, leaving it all to Sho, Ninomiya has worked hard to earn a living, stubbornly refusing to be supported by his friend in any way but when they are out dining together. It is a trait Sho has always admired about Nino; he may be prone to staying home, never outgoing, but he has never been lazy, always choosing to work hard. What Ninomiya has earned, he has earned by himself, rising until he held a lower position in the vampire council, much to the appreciation of Sho, who often finds himself asking Ninomiya for advice on an issue attained to his own position.

Which is also why he called Ninomiya here today.

“There is a council meeting later today, at 3 pm.,” Sho says, putting down his glass, half-empty of its deep red contents already.

“Hm?” Ninomiya stuffs his face in a massive bite, perhaps a little too eagerly, and Sho knows he is doing this on purpose, so he does not need to talk.

“We have discussed this particular issue more than once at the council for the past two weeks, and to be honest, I am a little worried,” Sho pauses now, considering how to formulate the next part, “I am not sure whether its better to just find and eliminate these idiots, or to punish them. Should we make an example of them, or should we do what the humans want us to do? I fear that this treaty is at risk. If we eliminate some of our own, the humans may just think they can get us to do it again. And again.”

Ninomiya swallows and dabs the side of his mouth lightly with a napkin, “Get us to eradicate ourselves in the long run.”

“Exactly. They will keep on asking for harsher punishments, and the council will be forced to accept, to ensure the continued cooperation between humans and vampires.”

This is one of the reasons why he appreciates Ninomiya so much. He just always gets where Sho is coming from; he and Sho are much alike in their way of thinking. Ninomiya rarely says something, Sho does not agree with, and he often says the things Sho does not even realise are true, until said out loud.

 “That’s a tough one, Sho-chan.”

When Ninomiya finds it hard to decide between two evils, Sho knows this will not be solved easily, and it could turn out ugly.

Sho releases a deep sigh and reaches for his drink again, “I will try and convince the other members to just catch these fools and lock them up. Perhaps we can make the human council believe we are doing away with them. Why do we keep on protecting the idiots who bite random people with no thought of how they’ll turn out as vampires? This always leads to trouble, and those _stupid_ new half-bloods just don’t get the risk.”

“You know they’re often just consumed by the bloodlust. It is really bad when they’re newly turned.” Ninomiya counters.

“We should have stronger measures against this. More people out on the streets to keep an eye on newly turned vampires on a rampage. There needs to be more control.”

“Always with the control, Sho-chan,” this time, Ninomiya sighs, “Too much control will just make our people feel like prisoners, you know. If not suppressed by man, then by their own. You already feel spite aimed in your direction, don’t you?”

And then there is this; when Ninomiya knows more than Sho cares to admit.

Yes, he has felt it. Envy, despite, distrust, suspicion, all associated with purebloods, especially lineages as old as the Sakurai family. Sho has always tried to do what is best for their people, as opposed to his father, yet many of the half-bloods seemed to forget that, on the day Sho’s father was no more. As if they automatically assumed Sho turned into his father, then and there. When Sho does not succeed in the councils, and even sometimes when he does, the vampires suspect he does it all for the sake of himself, or even worse, for the sake of humans.

Rubbing his face in frustration, Sho thinks back on the interview last week, with Matsumoto Jun. The interviews with the human is for Sho an attempt at forming bridges with the human society – if Sho can somehow erase some of the myths associated with vampires, and the dark thoughts sprouting from those myths, perhaps man will learn to see vampires in another light. And in time, maybe tensions will ease up, and vampires will learn to trust humans more, see them as more than prey and enemy in one. Sho would like to live to see that happen. It will be worth his century-long life. It will not be achievable in a human lifetime though, which is where the main obstacle lies.

“Are you gonna bring it up at the council meeting today?”

“What?”

“The suggestion of tightening control,” Ninomiya pushes away the empty plate to focus his attention fully on Sho across from him.

“I don’t know,” Sho admits, thoughts still going back to his card which he offered Matsumoto, “I really hope there’s another way.

Ninomiya smiles, “Is that so? Anything related to that interview you went to? Your decision to tell humans more about our society? You do know not everyone thinks its such a good idea, especially members of the council. I have heard talks of their dislike towards your actions.”

Sho scoffs, “They always dislike my actions, Ninomiya. They dislike _me_ , the influence my name holds.”

“I know. But what you’ve done this time seems to especially piss them off.”

Sho rolls his eyes, probably sounding like an obstinate teenager when he says, “Let the old men stick to their old ways if they want to, just not on my watch. Society evolves, we cannot stand still just because we dislike change.

“You’re the old man here, Sho-chan,” Ninomiya laughs, “You’re older than most of them.”

Sho cannot help but chuckle, “That may be so, Nino, but have you ever truly considered me an old man? Conservative and stubborn?”

“Nah, Oh-chan is way more of an old man than you are. But you are a traditionalist. And stubborn as hell.”

“Oi.”

“In an entirely wonderful way, of course.”

Sho chuckles when he asks for the bill. Consulting with Ninomiya was the right choice; he always makes Sho feel either surer about his decisions or pushes a little for Sho to consider a different approach or perspective to change his way of thinking. Ninomiya is also one of the very few people – if not the only one actually – who would ever tell Sho straight to his face, if Sho is wrong about something; if he is being too bull-headed. And that is why Nino is Sho’s closest and only true friend.

-

The council consists of many generations of pureblooded, influential vampires. All represent families that have held a spot within the council for generations, the majority all the way back from when the council was established in 1185, 401 years before Sho’s birth. But the vampires here have changed much since then, along with the council rules and agendas, though one primary purpose has remained true since the day the council held its first meeting: To ensure the survival and well-being of the vampire community, including all vampires no matter their social standing or economic situation. That purpose has never been easy, but while centuries pass, the difficulty of their situation fluctuates. And in this generation in particular, their job to maintain a status quo is difficult.

As Sho sits down in the chair he always occupies, he studies each vampire as they enter the room following him. He likes to be early, and thus almost always arrive prior to everyone else.

Surprisingly, Sho is not the oldest vampire here. Murao Nobutaka is 615 years old and led the council alongside Sho’s father before Sho became the representative of the Sakurai bloodline. Being a close family friend and ally, Murao has always seemed to watch over Sho, possibly because Sho is the last remaining member of his family, carrying the family name as the sole heir.

Following Murao in is the representative of the Mizukawa family, Asami, who has recently joined the council after her mother stepped down. She is rather new and a fairly young vampire of only 79 years, and although many older vampires of the council look down upon her for this reason, Sho values her contribution a lot as she is of a young generation and thus very modern in her way of thinking and much less conventional than the majority of the members here.

Sho gets eye contact with both Domoto Tsuyoshi and Takizawa Hideaki when they enter together, receiving strained expressions in return for Sho’s polite nod, and Sho follows them with his eyes as they round the table, knowing they would fight over his chair the second Sho appears to show the slightest weakness.

The table under his elbows rattles a little when someone sits down heavily in the chair next to Sho, and he does not need to turn his head – which he does anyway – to know that it is Okada, who is currently grinning and showing his abnormally large fangs, “Yo, Sho-kun.”

“Okada-kun,” Sho greets back, noting the papers in Okada’s hands, “You come prepared today.”

“Always am. But today, I have some interesting information to share. You’ll like it.” He winks.

Okada Junichi is younger than Sho, but has more experience in the council, has been here longer, which is why Sho respects him so much. He is one of the few who do not seem to mind Sho’s higher position, and he does not treat Sho with contempt, despite Sho’s fewer years in the council room, and the way he came to sit so high in the council after his father’s unfortunate and rather mysterious death.

The Okada clan are warriors who used to fight with the samurai, and even ruled alongside them for a while in the 12th century, until distrust and paranoia split them apart, and this shines through in the family members’ personalities, strongly so in Okada who is straightforward and brusque, but fiercely protective and loyal to his friends and allies.

The rest of the council drizzle in, some of them with their usual solemn expressions, appearing to think they have to keep up this demeanour just because they are pureblood council members. For Sho, the role is about much more than pretence behaviour, and he studies each face as they sit down, preparing to fight those who seem to hold today’s opposing views.

Many vampires believe themselves to be of a more enlightened race, more powerful and more knowledgeable, depending on the person, and although Sho is trying hard to bring humans and vampires together, by battling the human council, Sho is not going to pretend all vampires are good. Certainly, like humans, there are many selfish bastards and rotten apples in the basket, which just makes Sho’s job that much more difficult.

“I hear rumours that you’ve been talking to a human journalist, Sakurai-san. What are you up to this time? Exposing all of our secrets to this guy, for what? A tasty snack?” A man drawls from the other side of the table and Sho does not even need to look to know who has uttered those disrespectful words.

Sho stares hard at Akanishi Jin, a very young, pretentious vampire, who thinks he has got the right to be haughty towards his elders just because his father granted him his spot in the council. Obviously, like father, like son.

“I am up to nothing, Akanishi-kun. But thank you for sharing this information with the rest of the room. Means I will not have to do it myself.” Sho smiles politely and bows his head to a Jin who is clearly far from satisfied with Sho’s reaction, before Sho turns to face the rest, looking all of them square in the eye, mutely daring anyone else to bring up the topic, “Well then, if everyone is here, I suggest we start the meeting. Okada-kun.”

Okada gets up to announce today’s agenda concerning the vampire who attacked two civilians on the street, draining them of blood and injuring a third, before he was caught by the human authorities. The situation is grim in ways more than one, as not only did the vampire kill two humans, but he was also turned without the knowledge of any pureblood vampires, and the culprit is still unknown.

“I suggest we find the culprit before making any other rash decisions,” Mizukawa declares, restating what she has been suggesting every time the topic has been brought up.

“Why not just hand over the bastard to the human authorities. In my opinion he is not one of us, he does not deserve a fair vampire trial,” Domoto says.

But Murao is quick to argue against it, “If we do that, Domoto-san, the humans will take liberties in the future, perhaps it will even turn so bad that they arrest and execute some of us without the council’s knowledge. They should not be given such freedom to punish – that will never end well on our side of the treaty.”

“Murao-san is right,” Sho starts, briefly looking at the documents Okada has put down before him, “It seems the human police force holding our vampire in custody has gotten some answers out of him – one of the liberties taken without our knowledge, which just proves Murao-san’s point – and we now have a name of a potential suspect who might have bitten the vampire running rampage. My suggestion is that we catch this guy before the humans do. We could potentially use him as a bargaining chip and a way of showing good will.” Murao is nodding in the corner of Sho’s eye, “Hopefully, they will hand over the newly turned vampire to us, and we can take it from there.”

Murmur erupts for a few moments, before Domoto speaks up again, “Why not just force the humans to hand over our kin already? What right do they have to keep him locked up, especially when they never gave us any information? For all we know, they could be torturing the guy right now, or even worse, he could already be dead,” the vampire looks to Takizawa sitting beside him, “We know the humans are more than capable of doing just that without a second’s hesitation.”

“Demanding him handed over would just increase their distrust towards us.”

“They’re already distrustful towards us! And we are no different – I would never trust a human!”

“Which is what we want to try and change here, Domoto-san,” Sho breaks in, “Isn’t that what this treaty is all about?” he sighs and runs a hand through his hair, “I know it’s difficult, and I am anxious too, not knowing what they are currently doing to one of our own. But bottom line is: This guy committed a serious crime, and I think we can all agree that he should be punished accordingly. And that is exactly what we want to get across to the humans; that we are on the same side regarding this issue – none of us plan to keep this guy alive, not after he tells us whom his accomplice and creator is.”

 

*

 

Jun is staring so hard at the card in his hand that his vision is starting to get blurry. What is it he is not seeing here? What is Sakurai aiming for? Is it a trap?

“Hey MatsuJun, I am sorry to break it to you, but laser eyes only exist in the X-men movies.”

He looks up as Oguri Shun walks in, two cups of coffee in his hands, one to be placed in front of Jun on his desk, at a safe distance from his laptop. Jun sighs heavily and mutters in quiet thanks.

“Something’s bothering you,” Shun observes, leaning against Jun’s cubicle wall, to shield Jun from some of the prying eyes from the other side, and Jun is grateful.

“Yeah, it’s…” Jun does not know how to say this without revealing things he still wants to keep to himself. Like the way Sakurai would smirk at him one minute, only to look melancholic the next.

“Has it got something to do with that vampire you’ve been obsessing over?”

Jun wrinkles his nose in disgust, “I have not been obsessing-”

Shun chuckles, “Sorry, sorry, I know, wrong word to use with you and vampires. You’ve just really been looking into this guy recently, haven’t you? Ikuta-kun told me you’ve had him check for any info on this Sakurai Sho person, but he came up with next to nothing. Is that what you’re stressing out about? Lack of information for this article?”

Jun releases a frustrated breath, “Kind of. I want to show people some insight we have not had access to until now. Tell me, has anyone ever landed an interview with an influential vampire before?”

Shun shakes his head, “Not that I know of.”

“Exactly! No one has. And definitely not a pureblood.  So how come I of all people suddenly get this interview with barely any effort? I didn’t even have to beg anyone for it. It was almost as if this guy had been waiting for someone to grab the phone and ask him for an interview. And how odd is that?”

“He asked specifically for you to be the one to conduct the interview and write the article, didn’t he? Wanted no distribution of information or work to any third part.”

“Which just makes it even weirder. I am not a nobody, but I am not famous either.”

Shun grins, “Aw, come on Jun-kun, you’re quite the known writer. People love your articles, and women flock to you not just because of your writing skills.”

“Shut up.”

Shun laughs, “I just think you’re putting way too much thought into this. A journalist grabs any chance he gets. Even if some things get handed to you on a silver platter it doesn’t necessarily make them rotten. As long as you don’t go walking into this bloodsucker’s lair, you’ll be fine. Perhaps the guy is interested in your writing and simply thought you could do the article justice. And yes, before you say anything, I know you don’t like vampires, but try to give him the benefit of the doubt, for now at least.”

Jun ponders over Shun’s words for a moment. Jun would definitely hate himself and regret not taking this chance, if he backs out, because there is no way he will get a second shot if he burns this guy off, not with the influence Sakurai holds. Everyone would know in just a few hours how much Matsumoto Jun disrespected and made a fool out of Sakurai Sho, and given how utterly unpredictable these creatures are, there is no guarantee that Jun would not end up dead in a gutter somewhere.

Shun has always been very relaxed around vampires, being one of few people around Jun who believe that humans and vampires can live side by side in some kind of harmony as they have done in the past. Though Jun has a hard time agreeing with these democratic thoughts, Shun’s opinions are more often than not rather valuable to Jun, especially for unconventional articles.

“Or perhaps he is more interested in your ass than your writing and really just wants you to enter his lair.”

“Ok, that’s it. Get out.”

 

Jun spends the rest of the day tapping down notes on his laptop while listening to the interview with Sakurai, as well as finishing up another article on a recent murder case involving a vampire running rampage and killing two citizens as well as harming another. The story is the scoop of the week, and Jun, who just so happened to be in the area surrounding the police station when it happened, managed to be first to question the police and thus the reporter with the right to write the article. And no person in their right mind would have refused. But it is a typical article on assault; a couple at night time on their way home from a bar unlucky to be in the same area as a starving, newly turned vampire. Purely bad luck for the unfortunate couple. And it is to be expected of these vampires that they just cannot stick to the rules of the treaty made between them and the human citizens, always creating more bloodsuckers with no restrictions which in Jun’s opinion is not right. It is vampires like Sakurai who should be keeping an eye on their kin to prevent them from turning some nobody on the street and letting them loose to cause destruction.

Jun writes the article with his usual level of coolness. Events like this one happen so often now that Jun has closed off his emotions towards the anonymous people involved, and he feels less and less affected each time, despite the brutality of the situation. Since he has to stay in Sakurai’s favour, however, the indifference may become an advantage.

Even after handing over the finished article to their editor, Jun ponders over when and how he should call Sakurai to take him up on that offer of coffee – no, not an offer of coffee, an offer of information, Jun corrects himself. This is no social get-together. It is purely business, and that is what Jun wants to get across. He _knows_ there is no way the vampire is even remotely interested in him, yet Shun’s words nag and annoy him, as though provoking him to underline to Sakurai that no such thing would happen. Ever. Even if the vampire has not even entertained the thought. Despite Jun’s confidence in this, he has never called a vampire before, and doing so feels like crossing some kind of line. A line he has no idea of what means yet, and if it will even come to matter in the long run. Once Jun has all the information he needs, there is no reason for him to meet or talk with Sakurai again.

When Jun gets home, the genkan smells of Chinese spices and minced beef, and Jun sighs gratefully. Seems like Aiba is in the kitchen, putting together one of his family recipes again.

“I’m home.”

Leaving his shoes in the genkan, Jun steps into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water from the fridge.

Aiba Masaki, Jun’s roommate, is wearing his apron with a happy sun sewn on the front, and with a spatula in hand, he is stirring a big pot of what appears to be mabo tofu.

“Welcome home, MatsuJun. Long day?”

“As usual,” Jun sighs and drains half of the bottle in one go, “Thank you for cooking again, Aiba-kun. I really ought to make it up to you.” He leans against the wall to the kitchen, feeling his stomach growl in hunger, reminding him that he only had one onigiri for lunch today.

Like all the other times Jun has made an empty promise like this, Aiba waves his hand in dismissal, “My working day is usually so much shorter than yours, unless we have an emergency or one of the little ones feels lonely, and I don’t mind cooking for two instead of one. You work so hard on those articles of yours.”

Jun smiles faintly, knowing that pot of food is enough to feed an army, “Thank you.”

“Just set the table and we’re square,” Aiba smiles brightly and once again, Jun is thankful for having a roommate like him, even if they are complete opposites.

They have been living together in this apartment, located in the Ikebukuro area for three years now, since Jun landed his job with the newspaper company and was searching for a room near the office. It just so happened that Aiba was looking for someone to share the apartment bill with, and lucky for Jun, Aiba decided to let Jun move in after only a brief meeting. Jun knows he would have needed a lot more time and several conversations to settle on someone for his new roommate, but apparently Aiba is quick to get an understanding and feeling of a person, even a stranger. It is an admirable trait, being that trusting towards someone upon the first meeting. Though Jun thinks it is too risky for himself to dare try that out.

“So, how’s it going with that pureblood vampire? Is he behaving?” Aiba asks when they are settled across from each other at the dining table. As usual, Aiba’s Chinese cooking tastes divine, especially with the beer Jun brought home for the two of them.

“He is. Or, at least I think he is. He could be plotting anything, to be honest, and I wouldn’t know. He is not an easy man to read.”

“That’s never discouraged you in the past though. Is this any different?”

Jun supposes it is not. He has handled dangerous types before fearlessly, and this interview is even more thrilling and exciting than any of Jun’s past jobs. However, past jobs have dealt with _humans_.

He pokes at his food while he ponders upon his response, “It does not have to be, but there is a difference between being beaten up or stabbed and having one’s blood sucked or being turned into a vampire.” Although Sakurai did express that he has never turned anyone before. At least, that is what he made Jun believe. Could be a trick… Jun’s head hurts thinking about these things, “But I am sure I’ll be left in the dark, never knowing the answer to many of my questions, if I don’t give it a try.”

“Now you sound like yourself. I can’t imagine you’d ever willingly give up a job you only just started on.”

Jun scoffs, “Yeah, I know. You’re right. I’d hate myself for not doing my best.”

“And you’re too curious. Don’t hide that. Besides,” Without asking, Aiba gives Jun a big scoop of food to refill his plate, “With all that weight training you do, I’m sure you’ll be able to handle yourself just fine, even against a vampire.”

 

*

 

Sho is nursing a cup of deep, black coffee with hints of chocolate in its flavour, and reckoning it would go very well with a glass of whiskey, when the person he has been waiting for enters the tiny coffee shop, his presence announced by the small bell above the door.

“Welcome!”

It is not Ohno, the owner of the shop who greets him, but an assistant barista currently manning the desk. Knowing Ohno, the man is probably out back where he prefers to be, grinding beans and experimenting with various flavour combinations. Sho watches as the reporter nods politely, before his eyes scan the place while he takes off his leather jacket, to hang it on the rack by the door. Like last time they met, Matsumoto Jun is dressed neatly in what is clearly quality-fabric jeans and a shirt that fits his body; the man is aware of recent fashion trends and what suits him. When their eyes meet, while Matsumoto is unwrapping his scarf, the corner of Sho’s lip pulls up in a faint smile. 

He may appear entirely self-satisfied once Matsumoto approaches and they greet each other, but Sho was secretly relieved when Matsumoto called him a week after their first interview, at that point almost certain that the reporter had already given up on receiving any more information from Sho and would never take the bait. But luckily, Matsumoto seems more curious than that, which is why Sho finally sits across from him in a place where Sho knows they can speak much more freely than at Matsumoto’s work place.

“I am glad to see you again, Matsumoto-san. I was almost sure you would not call me.”

Matsumoto orders a latte when the barista comes by their table before he answers Sho. He is certainly not aiming to impress or please Sho beyond what is purely good manners. _How remarkably interesting._

“I must admit, I have been hesitant,” Matsumoto says, throwing a glance around, “But contrary to one of my worse suspicions, this does not appear to be a vampire bar.”

Sho chuckles, “What did you think of me? I am civilised, you know. And this shop is one of the few places in the city where no one will question a vampire and a human conversing like we are now. Quite contrary to your office. No offence meant, of course.” Sho adds when Matsumoto’s strong eyebrows twitch slightly, the motion almost reined in in time, “I want you to feel relaxed while you conduct the interview, and I do not want to be hidden away like a zoo animal.”

Matsumoto has the decency to look a little guilty, probably realising that Sho has more than a slight suspicion about what takes place in the office of the newspaper company, and how the employees feel about vampires. However, Sho did appreciate Matsumoto’s thoughtfulness and how the reporter did not let any of his colleagues bother or gawk at Sho when Sho went into what may just have been a lion’s den – to any lesser vampire – during their first interview. As a matter of fact, Sho was pleasantly surprised at how the reporter was polite while also being cheeky and provocative. Sho does not remember ever having encountered a person who can wield both characteristics with such natural ease as Matsumoto appears to do.

Matsumoto fiddles a little with non-existent lint on his jeans, before breaking the momentary silence, “So, Sakurai-san, you got me here. What is it you can tell me?”

Sho smirks, “So impatient. At least wait for your coffee to arrive. In the meantime, can’t you tell _me_ something?”

Matsumoto grants Sho a soft raise of his eyebrow in return for Sho’s inquiry, while he starts digging into his bag for his recorder.

“Oh, and if we do this,” Sho leans across the table and does not miss the way Matsumoto’s fingers twitch and snap back when Sho takes the recorder from him, so they will not touch, not even close to it. The action both amuses and saddens Sho. He had hoped Matsumoto would be different, “No recording. What I tell you, you will have to remember. In return, I will try my best to answer any sort of question you throw at me and pay your coffee. Deal?”

Sho does not blame Matsumoto if Sho’s promise raises suspicion in his mind, especially if Matsumoto is as wary of vampires and of Sho as he appears to be. Now, Sho most certainly would not offer just anyone this kind of deal, but 400 years of life has taught Sho that sometimes taking chances and making a risky move can result in the best outcomes. And the worst.

When Matsumoto does not speak, simply stares at Sho, his eyes flickering across Sho’s face, to search for any sign of trickery or betrayal, Sho hopes he does not find any. In terms of the information he gives Matsumoto for his article, Sho has no ulterior motives. But there is no denying that Matsumoto is a handsome man, gorgeous even, and to someone like Sho who has seen his fair share of beautiful men and women, that is quite something. So naturally, Sho would lie if he pretended not to be just slightly attracted to the bashful human, and if given the chance, he would not refuse a small taste. A predator, however, does not show his hand before the final move.

It is as if Matsumoto decides something then, face falling into a state of stone, nothing but sharp lines and strong features, emotion nowhere to be seen, for the moment, “Fine. We have a deal. What do you want me to tell you?”

And the coffee is put down in front of him, a pattern of swirls in its foam, the image an upside grin to Sho’s eyes.

“Glad to hear it.”

Sho raises his own cup with a nod as if in a silent toast, honestly quite excited to know more about Matsumoto and to share his knowledge in return. He starts out by asking about Matsumoto’s choice of career and learns that Matsumoto is quite the curious person, like Sho constantly looking for new things to learn and experience, and judging by what he wants to learn now, Matsumoto is certainly not a coward, quite the opposite. Some would even call him reckless.

“How did you even get permission to write this report, Matsumoto-san?” Sho leans a little forward over the table, resting his weight on his elbows, and Matsumoto stiffens in his seat, “Not many humans are big fans of vampires.”

“They may not be fans of you, but they are still curious,” Matsumoto answers after a moment of considering his reply. Sho likes how he ponders upon his words before replying, “Cynically so though. They like to read about how vampires attack and kill, only to be captured and punished.”

Sho narrows his eyes, “Is that so? Well, I wouldn’t put it past humans. They’ve always liked the bloody, violent stuff.”

“Maybe. But you vampires _are_ violent. Attacking civilians to feed. Any human would dislike a creature like that.”

His jaw hurts, when Sho grinds his teeth together, slightly extending canines digging into the soft flesh of his gums. If he did not know Matsumoto to be reckless, he would think the man was deliberately provoking Sho. But Matsumoto is 300 years too late. Sho has long since learned to control his temper, through long years of exposure to oppression and hate.

“Well, Matsumoto-san,” Sho lets the bitter taste of his coffee soothe his annoyance, “I hope your article will give them some new insight like it does you. It seems humans still have much to learn, despite how we have lived alongside you for so many years. Must be your short life-spans. As generations come and go, so does your knowledge.” Now it is Matsumoto’s turn to look mildly irritated, “For centuries, humans have assumed the highest role in the food chain, never hunted by any other creature, not until the vampires appeared sometime during the Yayoi period, and back then, we were the hunted. Did you know, Matsumoto-san,” Sho tilts his head, “That we still are, in a way?”

“I highly doubt that is true, Sakurai-san.”

Sho grins, though not so much that his fangs show, “Do explain then why reporters fight like animals for scoops on how you humans capture my people. Or explain why human police officers are allowed to kill a vampire on sight if ‘he or she appears hostile’. You’ve made it quite clear, Matsumoto-san, that even you believe us to be hostile all the time.”

“Not all vampires are like you, Sakurai-san,” now Matsumoto dares to lean across the table too, bringing their faces closer, “Don’t try to pretend that all vampires are aware of themselves. Especially young and newly-turned vampires are a major threat, roaming the streets illegally, killing everything in their path. Just take the most recent case that took place in Kabuki-chou.”

“I know.” Sho leans back, liking the way Matsumoto speaks to him, how it is without the many layers of respect and fear that so many plaster over their words like cheap paint, humans and vampires alike. Sho crosses his arms, “Do you know who is working on that case?”

“Why, I am. I wrote the first article.” Matsumoto’s eyes are a very light brown, framed by long, soft eyelashes, Sho notices as he studies the curious, yet challenging way Matsumoto looks at him.

“To give you a tip then, something between the vampire council and the human council may go down in the upcoming days. Our negotiations are not going as smoothly as I would have hoped.”

“Are you referring to the vampire’s punishment?”

“His punishment and the future of our treaty, in the long run. This is just one of many events bound to happen, if our relationship continues to go south. Disagreements and lack of shared understanding results in war, Matsumoto-san, which I have seen way too much of. And that is why I am telling you all this.”

Matsumoto has not touched his coffee for quite a while now, letting it sit and grow cold, while his attention appears to be fully on Sho. Knowing that Matsumoto is not doing this to please Sho, makes Sho hope and increases his belief that this man, if he stays true to the devotion and interest he shows now, may possibly be able to invoke change.

“I don’t- I don’t think, I quite understand.” Matsumoto admits, and he sounds so young just then, and it throws Sho off somehow.

He smiles apologetically, “I don’t expect you to. I just hope you will do us justice when you tell people about us and our lives. Our base DNA is the same, and our races are not that different in our ways of thinking.”

 

*

 

Something frustrates Jun, something he cannot quite pinpoint. While he is intimidated and wary of Sakurai, he cannot stop himself from finding the vampire incredibly alluring, with the way he holds himself, the way he speaks and looks at Jun as if he is seeing right through Jun; amused and interested in equal measure. Jun has felt wanted before, but this is the first time he has felt as though a predator is watching him calmly, where Jun does not know whether said creature is going to strike or simply enjoys studying whatever move Jun makes. The anticipation, the not knowing what is going to happen, is tearing at Jun’s patience, making him want to be around Sakurai despite the part of him that knows this is one of the reasons vampires are so dangerous. They are alluring and interesting – they even smell good – to lure humans in and seduce them until they willingly give up their blood. And Jun does not want to be a part of that group.

Yet, he asks Sakurai for a third interview. The two of them seems to be of such opposing views, however all that Sakurai says is backed up with clever arguments, and Jun is growing more and more curious as to what else Sakurai can come up with, to counter a dislike of vampires that Jun does not try to hide, rather he wants the vampire to know just how uncomfortable Jun feels around him. Maybe Jun unconsciously aims to maintain that status quo, where all they want from each other is information.

It is the first time Jun has been asked for information about himself from someone he interviewed; Sakurai is curious about Jun’s family, his upbringing and his dreams for the future. Although it secretly pleased Jun, who rarely ever talks about himself since he is always the interviewer, he left the information vague, not wanting the vampire to know too much of anything he can use against Jun. Even if it meant snapping his mouth shut and biting his lips to keep the words from flowing out like a dam broke. Another thing Jun has discovered about Sakurai is how Jun wants to tell him _everything_ once their eyes lock. The vampire’s gaze was so intense and soothing at the same time, while Jun told him about himself, appearing genuinely curious and interested in what Jun had to say. Accompanied by hums that confirmed Sakurai’s attention, Jun discovered how Sakurai is not only a great talker, but a great listener too. Someone you would want to disclose your deepest secrets and worries to because he appears to _care_. Which just means Jun will have to be even more careful around the pureblood vampire.

But when Jun finally stops thinking and closes his eyes, ready to sleep with the soft sheets cradling his back, a matching set of deep brown, almost black eyes, open in the void, and Jun feels hypnotized while a deep, calm baritone beckons him closer into the darkness.

-

A couple of days pass rather uneventfully. They agreed that Sakurai will contact Jun with a suggestion for a date for the next interview, given that recent events are making Sakurai rather busy. Based on what Sakurai told Jun about the worries of the vampire council, Jun reckons Sakurai will not have time before the issue quiets down a little and the vampire currently held in human custody is taken care of. There is also the matter of the one who turned said vampire. Sakurai did not mention this person, but Jun is not stupid and definitely not ignorant to the fact that this culprit will be facing a punishment equal to one given to the murderous vampire, for leaving a newly turned vampire to rampage the streets.

So, while he waits, Jun writes down everything that he remembers from his conversations with Sakurai, all that the pureblood said and all that he did not say, but implied. And Jun tries to dig a bit more into some facts, like the events of the Yayoi period and how vampires first came to Japan, learning all that he can about the vampire council too, as well as the development of the vampire community and the history that vampires and humans share. He also rereads all the intel he can find on the Sakurai bloodline, looking for anything he might have missed the first, second and third time he read through his sources. But not until he asks around the office, while of course being critical of the sources of the information and rumours, does he find something worth digging into, something he wants to ask Sakurai himself, mostly to witness how he reacts.

What he finds concerns Sakurai’s family, more specifically his father and what Sakurai Shun managed to achieve in his 564 years of life. Jun finds information on Sakurai’s mother too, though limited; he learns that she seemingly died giving birth to her son, Sakurai Sho, at a fairly young age for a pureblood vampire from a noble family. Taking the traditions and family dynamics of highborn vampires into consideration, her death must have been a great tragedy.

“Hey Shun?”

Jun’s friend is standing by his side in a second, “Hm?”

“Do you know anything about Sakurai-san’s parents?”

“The pureblood vampire?”

Jun nods, gesturing towards the webpage he currently has open on his laptop screen, “There is quite a lot of information about Sakurai Shun, Sho’s father, but next to nothing about his mother. Do you have any idea where I could find out more?”

“Can’t you ask Sakurai himself?”

When Jun throws Shun a look, his friend quickly realises what he just asked, “Not that friendly with him yet, huh? Funny, the whole department here thinks you’re already buddy-buddy. I am guessing that’s not the case.”

“Hardly.”

“Too bad. Expected, though, realistically speaking, with your attitude and this vampire’s probable high-born personality.”

“Can we get back on topic?”

Sakurai Sho may be arrogant and sometimes berating towards Jun, but he has been nothing but polite so far, offering Jun so much useful information for his article, though he still remains very mysterious and Jun knows that he for sure is hiding all the juicy, and obviously dangerous knowledge. Despite not liking the vampire, Jun can at least be civil towards him in return for his cooperation.

“I don’t think I can help you concerning Sakurai’s mother, I am afraid,” Shun scratches the back of his head, “But I can tell you that Sakurai Sho is the only child born into the family at that time. None of his aunts and uncles had children, probably because of the risk associated with vampire-baby-birth,” a grin flashes over Shun’s face in amusement over the invented word, “That means Sakurai Sho is the sole heir to the entire bloodline. That would leave anyone intimidated and just a little pressured, right? Probably not to mere, unimportant humans like you and me, but I swear, these old vampires and traditions… It’s a big thing.”

See, that is news to Jun. He knows Sakurai holds much power in the vampire community, and even in the human community too, but just how much, he had no idea of. It begs the question of why Sakurai has not produced an heir himself by now. The longer he spends as the only Sakurai of his bloodline, the higher the risk of attempts on his life. He may be powerful, but he told Jun himself, that with will, any vampire can be killed.

This information explains a lot. Why Sakurai comes across as a little aloof and cold, cautious in his behaviour and always formulating his sentences with great contemplation. But it does not explain why he appears so interested in conveying his knowledge to Jun, and only Jun, especially when someone like Shun would have been a lot more receptive and perhaps way more respectful towards the vampire.

Jun stares at his screen after Shun has left, still utterly at loss, even more puzzled by the pureblood vampire and his actions than he was before. In the end, Jun closes the document, leaves that trail of thought and gets up to fetch some more coffee, deciding he will resume his investigation tomorrow.

 

-

 

Blood and fire. Burning asphalt and blood turning the path, on which he walks, wet with dark crimson. That is how Jun will come to describe the crime scene in his report later.

When the call came in at the office right as Jun was packing his stuff, ready to leave and go home, the impression he got from the description was that a family was trapped inside a burning building in Kabuki-chou. What he failed to question was whether that family consisted of vampires or humans.

And there is no way he can judge their race from the bloody trail left from the building towards a dark alley, where no one has dared tread yet. There is also no immediate way of knowing how many were dragged into that gap between the buildings, definitely against their will and very much deadly wounded.

Ten or so fire workers are currently fighting against the shrinking flames tearing and eating the small apartment complex, licking towards the sky, while they drown out the colour of the blinking red lights of police cars surrounding the area. A couple of police officers are standing by, hands on their hips, and those are the ones Jun chooses to approach for information on what he will probably go home and type down tonight. If he can get them to tell him enough, he could possibly have the article done in 5 hours or so, by 2 am. If not, Jun is in for a very tough day at work tomorrow.

“Excuse me.”

There is this particular expression people always greet a reporter with on a crime scene. A look of annoyance, of distrust, of impatience. People forget that media coverage of crimes is equally as important as the coverage of the national election. Jun is used to it, but while Shun is someone who is able to take it and not feel the least affected by it, Jun absorbs it and carries it around with him, though he hides this effect with a polite bow and an open smile.

 “I work for the Yomiuri Shimbun,” Jun offers the two men his business card, which one of them after a moment, takes hesitantly. Just to be polite, of course, “I am Matsumoto Jun. I was wondering if you could tell me, what happened here?”

“I’m sorry, but we can’t tell you anything.” The first one, who did not take Jun’s card, answers brusquely and is already turning away when his partner looks at Jun apologetically.

The other man, looking younger than the harsh one, faces Jun with a little more openness in his eyes, “We don’t know much yet, but it seems the fire fighters got most of the civilians out. A few have been taken to the hospital, except for the family over there, who refused to go.” The man points towards a huddled shape of a woman and a child, their faces black with soot and distorted by the cruel light of the flames, “It seems the woman’s husband was… taken somewhere.”

“Oi, Nakama, that’s enough.”

The young police officer bows to Jun, “Excuse me.”

Jun mutters a thank you that none of the two will probably hear, when they head towards their car, and Jun turns his attention towards the mother and child, sitting alone on the asphalt, clearly shaken. And with good reason, if the blood all over the ground is from someone part of their small family. Jun’s heart is already painfully throbbing for them, and it is only by force of will that he makes his way over, to get their side of the story and try to figure out exactly what happened here.

It could have been any random fire caused by a fault in an electric device, but why then, should a man be dragged away brutally and most likely killed? The fire must have been a distraction or caused by accident during the struggle occurring between the culprit and the man kidnapped.

“Excuse me, are you two alright?” Before he knows it, Jun is already crouching down in front of the two figures, the mom clutching her daughter tightly against her chest, and so, when she looks up, and Jun is met with a set of pale milky eyes, he starts. He did not expect them to be vampires.

“Who are you?” the mother asks, fear making her voice tremble.

And despite his surprise, Jun can only feel sympathy towards these two, wounded and frightened as they are. No way he can opt to leave after looking into their eyes, Jun is far from that cold. Some of Sakurai’s words come back to Jun, and he has to mentally push them away to focus on the matter at hand. He will dwell on the significance of this later.

“I am a reporter,” he shows them his card, “Matsumoto Jun. I know it is probably a bad time, but I hoped you could help me know what happened here. What happened to you?”

The female vampire casts down her eyes, strokes the hair of her daughter who is probably no more than five and hiding her face in her mother’s warmth. It is clear that the fire ate some of the mother’s hair and left horrible-looking wounds on her daughter’s bare legs. Jun cannot comprehend why they are not in the hospital, much less why they are not weeping in agony, because surely, they must be wounded in places not currently visible to Jun. They do not want to appear as weak as they clearly are in this situation.

“They took my husband.” The woman tries to be brave, but the words end in a quiet sob, “I don’t know why, but they took my husband. Came for him while I was putting our daughter to bed. I heard the scrambles from the kitchen and ran to him, but I was too late. He yelled at me to get Yumi and run, and they- they stabbed him. Again and again and…” When she starts crying, desperately trying to rein her sorrow in, Jun does not know what to do, “I don’t understand. Why are they hunting us, when we’ve done nothing wrong?”

Hunted. _“Did you know, Matsumoto-san, that we still are, in a way?”_

Part of him wants to put his hand on this female vampire’s shoulder and tell her it is going to be ok. But she is a vampire, in her distress, she might lash out at him, so Jun keeps his hands off.

“You have my condolences. I hope the authorities find your husband. Thank you for telling me this.”

Just as Jun gets up, the woman suddenly grabs his hand, and Jun freezes.

“They won’t.” her eyes are big and pleading, wild even and Jun is frightened, though deep down, he knows this woman will not hurt him.

“Who won’t what?” realising that sounded utterly stupid, Jun tries to rephrase, but the woman interrupts him.

“The human authorities would never help us. I don’t- I don’t understand.”

“What about the vampire council?” the words fly out of Jun’s mouth in what is quite a desperate attempt at trying to help this woman who is now alone with her daughter.

Sakurai’s face flashes before Jun’s eyes, and honestly, he does not know where this faith in the pureblood vampire comes from. Perhaps all those words concerning the history of vampires has given Jun the impression that Sakurai cares deeply for his race. Mentioning the vampire council makes Jun wonder if this incident is connected to what has been happening recently, whether the unsuccessful negotiations have had an impact on recent events. He wants to discuss it with Sakurai but wonders if it would be a good idea – that certainly would be moving way beyond the line Jun sees between himself and Sakurai.

Jun sinks down on his haunches again, and he takes the female’s hand between his, trying not to shiver at the coldness of her skin, “If no one else will help, try the vampire council, make sure to mention Sakurai Sho. I think- no, I am sure they will help you solve the mystery and find your husband. Or at least the ones who did this.”

He is being reckless and stupidly emotional, and Jun knows this is bound to get him into trouble. If humans did this to the family, and the vampire council finds out, hell is bound to come down on the human council, and who knows how that will end. Jun knows Sakurai and the rest of the council have trouble enough as it is, but Jun just cannot help himself. For the first time, he finds himself wanting justice for a non-human. For a vampire. And in the moment, he does not hesitate, most likely affected by the tragic story and the horror that is blood and fire surrounding them.

Thankfulness and admiration seems to fill the eyes of the vampire who squeezes Jun’s hand, tears now silently running down her cheeks, “I will try and contact them. Thank you, you have been… unexpectedly kind. I will not forget it.”

 In the alley behind the burning building, Jun finds nothing but more blood and overturned containers. Whoever took the vampire away left no traces that Jun can find. But perhaps his mind is too tired and distracted now, to do much detective work. So, Jun returns to his apartment with the sight of two huddled figures and a hoarse voice full of gratitude echoing in his mind.

Despite the early return home, Jun does not finish his article before 4 am., two hours before he needs to get up for work again. Haunted as he is by the judgemental, hard eyes of the police officers and the grateful words of the female vampire, self-doubt washes over Jun and settles deep, giving him little rest when he finally lets himself sink under the covers. He is terrified of the consequences most likely facing him come morning.

-

The following morning, 7.30 am., Jun feels like a zombie. Even after three cups of strong black coffee, he still feels like he is walking under water, hazy even when he hands in the report on yesterday’s fire.

“You know, Matsumoto-kun, I do love your devotion, but you look horrible this morning,” Kitagawa, Jun’s boss, looks at the two-page article handed to him.

“I am sorry for worrying you, but I know how important it is to be ahead of our competitors.” Jun leaves out how nightmares haunted those few hours of sleep that he got, leaving him still anxious about the report.

Kitagawa himself is not going to read it, but one of their editors is, and Jun desperately hopes they will not edit it too much or raise an eyebrow at Jun’s chosen angle for the story. After witnessing the tragedy of the vampire family, Jun decided theirs was a more important story and how they are victims of a currently unsolved crime. Even this morning, there seems to be no trace of the missing vampire, the husband who was dragged away from his family in a pool of blood. And no trace of the culprits, human as they most likely are. Jun is not usually a crime reporter, but he never passes up the chance of a good story, no matter the risk involved.

“You haven’t handed in the story on that pureblood vampire, yet.”

Jun’s hands are hidden behind his back, so his boss cannot see how he fidgets, “I know, I- um, I am still perfecting it. There are quite a few loose ends, but hopefully my next interview with Sakurai-san will tie up those last missing facts.”

“I hope so. Some people in the department are beginning to speculate.”

“Speculate?”

“That you are meeting up with the vampire more often than necessary, that you are getting involved with vampire affairs.”

“With all due respect, I have only met him twice, Kitagawa-san, and I promise it is strictly for the sake of the article. I am not interested in getting involved with a vampire.”

“Even a pureblood?” Kitagawa has raised an eyebrow, but he is smiling, and Jun knows he is in the safe zone.

“ _Especially_ a pureblood. I still believe vampires like Sakurai-san cannot be trusted.”

“Good. This is why I like you so much, Matsumoto-kun, you’ve got your principles right.” His boss gets up to give Jun a firm pat on the back, “Do your best for the article, ok? We want to get some real dirt on the vampire council.”

Jun really hopes his boss is not going to even glance at last night’s report.

On his way to the elevator, Jun gets an idea of what Kitagawa was referring to concerning rumours going around about Jun and the work he is doing with Sakurai. A couple of his female co-workers are whispering as they wait for the elevator, momentarily oblivious to Jun’s presence. He catches how one of them questions Jun’s motives for writing the article, whether ‘Kitagawa’s favourite’ could potentially be won over by a vampire.

“What do you think he is going to write? We can’t let him write something outrageous under our name.”

“More importantly, what is he telling that bloodsucker in return for information about vampires? Who cares about them anyway, they shouldn’t even be here in the capital with us.”

“Would you let a vampire suck your blood though? I wouldn’t, not even for money! Even if they say the sensation is quite… something.”

“How about a pureblood? I heard Sakurai-san is both gorgeous _and_ charming. Imagine him in bed.”

Jun flushes and he seriously has to clear his throat now, not wanting to hear any more with the direction their conversation is taking. And their faces turn beet red when they see Jun standing there, only a few metres behind them, avoiding looking them in the eye despite how he tries to smile politely. After three years of working for the newspaper, Jun knows how the women here can be, yet listening to them talk about Sakurai in that way will only make it more difficult for Jun to interview him and write about him.

Despite the unwanted thoughts, an imagery of sharp, curved fangs piercing skin and eyes that glow red flashes momentarily through Jun’s mind, making him shiver involuntarily, before he can stop it with random thoughts of the new bonsai he wants; of what kind he is still unsure, the same goes for where it should live in his small apartment in Ikebukuro. He should start planning that, yes. Bonsais.

 

4 snail-paced hours later, Jun is trying to read the newspaper from yesterday and snippets of the Asahi Shimbun during a much-needed break when a sandwich wrapped in foil is thrown down on top of the article, he was just reading. Raising an eyebrow, he finds Toma almost tossing himself into the chair opposite Jun.

The man grins like he so easily does, “Looked like you needed it. Don’t worry about paying me back, I owe you for those drinks from last time.”

The smell of roast beef greets Jun when he unwraps his food, and he sighs gratefully, “Thanks Toma.”

“Seeing how you’re actually taking a break at the designated hour like the rest of us mortals, you seem as exhausted as you look.”

“How kind of you to notice,” Jun’s voice is dripping sarcasm, but it quickly gets substituted for a satisfied hum when he bites into his sandwich.

“Good, right? I found this new café right around the corner. I will show you next time.”

Contrary to Shun, whom Jun has known since childhood, Ikuta Toma and he were hired to the company at the same time and spent many hours together, learning the ropes and getting along almost from the get-go. Not unlike Aiba actually, Toma has an easy smile and a goofy kind of humour, never quite shy or aloof as Jun is. Jun may be called stoic by most people in the company, but in reality, he is a lot more sensitive than that, regardless of his perfectionism. Toma and Shun are probably the only people here aware of it, so it is usually one of them who hauls Jun along when he pretends to be too busy. And Toma will remain the one to cheer him up or direct his attention elsewhere if Jun is beating himself up about something. Not unlike today.

“Yo, Ikuta, didn’t get one for me, huh?” There is a whacking noise when Shun hits Toma gently on top of his head with a rolled-up magazine, “It’s rare to see you here, Jun-kun.”

“Not really feeling at the top of my game today,” Jun explains, quickly scanning the remainder of the article on artificially produced vegetables.

“You deserve the break.” Shun sits down beside Toma and laughs when Toma sends him a pout around a big mouthful of sandwich, “Did you hear about the scoop the Mainichi Shimbun got this morning? They’ve already patented it, so no way we can get our hands on it, but it’s dirty business, so maybe it’s not so bad.”

Jun washes the remainder of his sandwich down with vitamin water, “Dirty business? Is there anything dirtier than what our paper has already published?”

“Well, the article you handed in about that fire probably comes close, and it seems it is actually related to the discovery they made late this morning.” Shun leans forward for emphasis, and Toma has do to the same to listen, “They found the body of a dead vampire, all slashed up as if massacred. Nasty, really. The police seem to suspect the culprit to be a group of other vampires, maybe in higher rank to this lesser vampire, but I think that hardly makes sense. It would be more likely if it was done by humans, right? But, no way the human police are ever gonna admit that.” Jun’s heart is hammering in his chest when Shun sighs, “They’ve probably learned the vampire’s identity and history by now, I am sure we will know more tomorrow.”

“I know him. Or well, I know who he is.”

The eyes of his friends widen a little after Jun’s first sentence. There is a very high possibility that the slashed-up vampire is the missing family member of the vampires Jun spoke to last night. The story is so horrible it leaves Jun’s heart aching. They may be vampires, but they were a family, and now the daughter is without a father. Did they really deserve that?

“Did they find him in Kabuki-chou?” Shun nods, and Jun continues, “Then there is a high possibility that I met his family. Now there is even more reason to hope the editors won’t send my article back for being ‘biased towards bloodsuckers’ or something.” Jun’s body seems to precede his brain when he wrinkles his nose and surprises himself. He has always cared about his work, and always disliked how the hands of others can alter the meaning of Jun’s words, but this time it seems so much more important to Jun. Upon this realisation, it dawns on Jun that he has never before written about the families left behind after a great tragedy. He has always just stated the cold facts behind an accident, never sought to delve deeper and focus on the people affected and wounded for life.

Shun crosses his arms, and the lookover he gives Jun is both surprised and intrigued, “Why, I never thought I’d hear you of all people potentially criticize our editors.”

Toma snorts at the sarcasm, and Jun rolls his eyes, “This time, it is about more than just my work,” Jun argues.

“Is it?”

Jun opens his mouth. Only to just catch himself in time and shut it with a quiet _snap_. His friend is smiling rather triumphantly, and Jun takes that as his cue to leave before he gets further involved in this mess. He does not need Shun to start preaching about fair treatment of vampires and racial distinction and treaty problems – Jun hears enough of that from Sakurai. And now Jun is thinking of that pureblood vampire again; a place in his mind, he really does not want to go to right now.

“I’d better get back to work. Try and get something done too, Shun?”

Shun just laughs, and Jun hides his flushing by turning around.

 

By the end of the week, he receives an email from Sakurai, the message announcing its presence one night after Jun has returned home and is checking through the emails on his private computer before bed.

**Sakurai**

_Matsumoto-san. Sorry for taking so long to contact you again, things have been a little hectic for me._

_I should have time for a third interview Friday or Saturday next week if you are still in need of more information. Let me know what suits you best._

_Sakurai Sho_

With the clean keigo, Jun can almost hear Sakurai’s voice in his head as he reads the message twice before getting up to go fetch his planner. There are most likely deadlines to meet and other interviews to attend during next week, but generally Jun’s schedule is made from one day to the other, as no one can know what is bound to happen in the city. That is how it is, being a journalist, who has to react fast to get a scoop, and Jun likes the fast pace, though in a situation like this, with a vampire who clearly plans well ahead in time, it will probably be a challenge to meet up. Jun has got to go a little out of his way for this to work, perhaps even sacrifice another potentially great article. But flipping through the pages of his schedule book, Jun does not wonder long if its worth it. It is.

**Jun**

_Thank you for contacting me, Sakurai-san, I can imagine you’ve been pretty occupied this week._

_I will be quite busy in the upcoming days, so if we are to meet, it has to be on Saturday after 5 pm. Would that be possible for you?_

He barely manages to close the browser window before his phone announces a new email. Raising an eyebrow at Sakurai’s speed, Jun decides to bring the phone with him to bed along with his planner. It is too cold to sit around the dining table in just a t-shirt and his boxers, especially when Jun is prone to feeling chilly. As soon as he is comfortable and warm under the covers, back resting against two soft pillows, Jun opens the mail application on his phone.

**Sakurai**

_Oh? Are you that interested in my whereabouts or are you just keeping an eye on the many ‘accidents’ happening to both vampires and humans recently?_

Jun scoffs indignantly.

**Jun**

_I take no interest in spying on people, Sakurai._

Only after quickly sending off his reply in annoyance does Jun realise that he walked right into Sakurai’s trap. Sakurai’s reply comes so fast, however, that Jun does not have time to type a request to get back on topic, and he wonders how fast Sakurai types anyway and whether the vampire is off from work and on his way to bed now too.

Jun shakes his head. As if that matters!

**Sakurai**

_Not that devoted to your cause as a journalist? What a pleasant surprise._

_I will schedule our meeting at Akatsuki, Ohno-san’s place, for Saturday 5 pm._

Jun wonders if Sakurai is pushing it on purpose to annoy Jun and decides there is no way he will give Sakurai the pleasure of succeeding.

**Jun**

_Thank you, Sakurai-san._

Thinking that he is being a genius at his cold reply, Jun puts his phone away with a self-satisfied grin.

**Sakurai**

_You’re welcome._

_Good night, Matsumoto-kun._

 

*

 

“I read your article on the fire down in the east part of Kabuki-chou.”

Jun can feel a blush creeping up his ears. He honestly did not expect that. “Oh. Thank you. I didn’t know vampires read the Yomiuri Shimbun.”

“Why not?” Sakurai smirks, “Well, I usually don’t, but I was curious, and I have read several of your articles. I want to know as much as I can about the journalist who is going to write about me, after all.”

Jun really should not be so happy about the fact that Sakurai read his article – his article _s_ more like – but this time, Jun is proud of the angle he used, the way he involved the story of the vampire family and not depicted the vampires as the bad guys for once. For some reason, the fact that Sakurai witnessed that Jun can do that too, makes him excited.

Aside from his general embarrassment, Jun is thrown further off in front of Sakurai after that message waiting on his phone after their email correspondence a week ago. Since it is a week ago, and Jun did not see the message until the following morning – so sure that he had pushed Sakurai away – there is no way he can bring up how Sakurai addressed him now, and certainly not the whole ‘Good night’ thing. Jun finds himself thrown completely off balance.

It seems Sakurai is insistent on leaving an impact on Jun, in one way or another.

“It was good.” The softness in Sakurai’s voice makes Jun look up, to be instantly captured by Sakurai’s dark eyes. Then the vampire smiles, gaze mysterious.

“Thank you.” With a difficult swallow, Jun looks down at his papers, reminding himself that there is a reason for this meeting, which does not involve Jun’s heart doing weird things.

He brings the coffee cup to his lips while trying to sort out the questions written down in front of him, a little clumsily, and of course he burns his tongue. Sakurai is resting his head in his palm, watching, when Jun clicks his tongue quietly at his own air-headedness. 

Jun asks the first and best question he finds, perfectly aware that Sakurai is looking at him with amusement in his eyes, and thus does not look up, “You said, during our first interview that you can’t get sick?”

“Generally, no. Depends on how human you are. In the sense that lesser vampires may rarely get sick, whereas purebloods do not, neither do we carry diseases. Our immune system is rather… effective.”

“Do you have special medication then? I rarely ever hear about vampires visiting hospitals.”

“Because it _is_ rare. Vampires are generally not susceptible to human diseases, though there are exceptions. Some viruses like a common cold sometimes hit lesser vampires. However, you should know vampirism is the cure for cancer.” Sakurai smiles crookedly at this, as if tempting Jun, as if offering another reason to consider becoming a vampire, and Jun tears his eyes away the second he looks up and meets Sakurai’s. He is not going there.

“That is very nice,” Jun answers dryly, “As for the blood that you clearly need, how do vampires get it? The treaty says no feeding off of humans who haven’t given their consent. No assaults.”

“Hmm,” Sakurai purses his lips slightly, and Jun’s eyes flicker quickly to the bold cupid’s bow. The vampire looks like someone considering how much to reveal, “We have blood banks. You know we rarely attack humans, only the occasional newly-turned lesser vampire who cannot control their powers slips up like that and usually pays the price for it. As for purebloods…” Sakurai tilts his head, aware that Jun has forgotten himself and is staring, so naturally Sakurai exploits that fact and licks his lips slowly, “Purebloods need not stoop so low, especially older ones.”

When Jun realises that he followed the tip of Sakurai’s pink tongue with his eyes, getting a glimpse of sharp fangs behind full lips snaps him out of it, and he leans further back in his chair, as if that is going to increase the distance between him and Sakurai again, as if it is not too late, “Really?” his voice sounds a little hoarse, does it not?

Sakurai chuckles darkly then and when he blinks, it is as if the spell he cast on Jun is broken, “Are you going to quote me on that?”

Later, Jun will consider the fact that maybe that comment is one Sakurai made purposefully to bring back some of Jun’s snark, some of his confidence, because the possibility of Jun writing what Sakurai just said in the article makes Jun smirk and raise an eyebrow cheekily, “Maybe, I will. And you may just hear from all of my female colleagues. That should keep you busy.”

When Sakurai laughs, Jun notices small crinkles appearing around his eyes, taking away some of the youth from his otherwise flawless skin, but bringing it all back with the indication that Sakurai could be a person who laughs easily. It is the first time Jun has seen his laugh however, and it surprises him that the sound and sight of it brings up Jun’s spirits in turn. With all of the allure of a pureblood vampire that Sakurai possesses, it is not entirely surprising that his laugh is contagious too.

At this time of the evening, the café is relatively quiet, the humans who come here probably home with their families, cooking dinner, and as for the vampires, Jun does not really know. Only two other lone people have been here, since Jun arrived, and one of them is currently standing up to grab her light, beige coat to leave. Early spring is in the air, and the sun is casting long shadows through the high windows, bathing the relatively narrow room in a warm, orange light.

“Tell me, Sakurai-san,” Jun changes topic, not considering that the question is not in his papers, “How many vampires have families?”

Sho’s face darkens a little, and with the look in his eyes, Jun can see his thoughts drifting to a place where Jun cannot reach them. A coldness emanates from the vampire then, but Jun does not feel the anger is necessarily directed at him.

“Some of them do.”

Jun is suddenly very afraid that he has touched upon a sensitive topic, and he wants to backtrack, he wants to apologize for a reason unknown to him. He opens his mouth to ask about vampire birth, when Sakurai continues.

“Matsumoto-kun, I know you are smart. If you weren’t, I would not have chosen you as the one to write about me, about the vampire society. That is not something just anyone can do in a way that both does us justice and makes the humans understand,” Sakurai sighs, hands folded in front of him, and Jun is not sure he wants to know what Sakurai is telling him. Not sure he wants to know the truth, the depths of the conflict and of Sakurai himself. Needless to say though, there is no stopping it now, he crossed that line himself, “People fear the unknown. They always have. There is more to this ongoing conflict between humans and vampires: It’s an indirect war. Humans who get too close to vampires are targeted by other humans. Even Ohno-kun who owns this place, who never treats any patron differently, is often the target of hate and distrust for this exact reason, and though he puts up a brave front, I know it hurts him. It would hurt anyone, scare them. And I don’t want that. If I can do anything, to stop this ridiculous, needless battle, I will. Like the Yukimura family you spoke with in Kabuki-chou, I wish to avoid families being torn apart just because of fear and hate. There is no reason for us to fight, none other than pride and dislike of other ways of life. Even you, Matsumoto-kun, could become a victim, simply for interviewing me,” Sakurai runs a hand through his black, tousled hair, “Which is another reason why I am so curious to know _why_ you go through so much for the information, I am willing to give. I hope you realise the danger, you put yourself in.”

Jun does not answer. At the moment, he is slightly at a loss for words at all the things, Sakurai just told him. Granted, recent events and the meeting with the lesser vampire family has already altered the way Jun sees things, but the words spilling from Sakurai’s mouth just now was like a dam broke, like Sakurai has been wanting to tell someone for a very long time. Though, he only seemed to have scratched the surface, weariness and caution keeping him from just telling Jun everything. All of this though, is enough to show that Sakurai trusts Jun. For some odd, incomprehensible reason, this 400-something year old pureblood vampire trusts Jun. And Jun is not sure he wants this trust.

His voice is almost a whisper, “I could ask you the same thing. Why give me the answers when it could cause you so much trouble? What makes me so trustworthy? I could turn on you the second I walk out of here.”

Sakurai’s voice is so strong compared to Jun’s, “I hope to try and solve – no, that would be too ambitious – I want to try and ease the tension between humans and vampires,” Sakurai turns to look out of the window, and Jun observes a faraway look in his eyes that makes Jun’s hand pause in its track along the paper. He will not write this down. He is unsure of whether Sakurai is aware of what he is exposing, but the information is too much, so close to Sakurai’s soul that Jun does not wish to share it with the rest of the world. Is that selfish of him? He does not give himself a moment to ponder upon that. Just knows that Sakurai is sharing something very private with Jun right now, something too precious to be written in a simple spread in an unimportant newspaper. Jun pushes the paper away, “At the vampire council, the issue is always brought up when something goes wrong. I’d say the conflicts come in waves but,” Sho sighs, “This decade is the worst that I have experienced. Back in feudal Japan, at least humans could use us for war, and that was a way to accept our existence. Something for something, I guess. We were allowed to walk amongst them as long as we only devoured their enemies.”

“Why are you telling me this, Sakurai-san?” Jun asks again.

Sakurai smiles, albeit sadly, “I guess I finally needed to tell someone. I realise your situation, and I cannot even ensure your safety or anything like it in return for asking you the favour of trusting me and not stabbing me and the rest of the vampire society in the back. I am sorry if this made you uncomfortable, Matsumoto-san. If that’s the case, I will not bring it up again.”

“No! No, I mean don’t worry about me. I don’t mind, I mean, I want to risk it too.”

Why is he even saying this? Jun does not recognize himself, does not recognize his voice, but Sakurai’s expression changes subtly then, eyes held firm on Jun who feels more and more self-aware, hitting himself mentally for sounding so unsophisticated.

“I have never been offered such deep information from a vampire before, so…” Jun swallows and tries to pretend he does not notice how Sakurai’s eyes follow the motion at his throat, “So, thank you. I hope you won’t come to regret it. I will do anything I can to convey the information, you have given me in a way that at least will make some people stop reading for a moment and think. I am afraid, I cannot promise more than that. I am just a journalist.” Sakurai’s gaze is heavy on Jun, but he continues, “And I will keep the more personal facts about you to myself.”

The last words fly out of him. Perhaps because Jun, deep down, is afraid of the burden of these words. Perhaps because he wants to keep them to himself, not knowing if he is able to? Because he feels like Sakurai deserves a confidant, but Jun is a journalist, his job is to expose people and the information they hold.

Out of the three times they have met, the interview has only been a proper interview for a total of two or three questions, the rest of the talk has turned so serious, towards words that Jun feels mold him and leave him a different man when the two of them split apart again. There is something about the way Sakurai re-educates him patiently, as if he is seeing something Jun cannot.

There is one particular question Jun prepared beforehand, that he was determined to ask. One question to gauge Sakurai’s reaction, knowing it would definitely show Jun a more vulnerable pureblood, most likely leaving him very angry at Jun. But there is no reason to ask it now. Jun has more than seen Sakurai vulnerable. If what he says is true, just him being here puts the both of them in danger, and the Jun from a month ago, who would not even blink before saying something insulting to Sakurai, is just not present anymore.

There is a rumour at Jun’s office, concerning Sakurai’s bloodline, concerning his family. And with the information Sakurai has given Jun, concerning the purebloods and their strength against weapons and illness, it raises even more questions concerning Sakurai’s father’s sudden death about a century ago. Did Sakurai kill him?

In his imagination, Jun sees Sakurai’s eyes, black as obsidian, a far cry from the soft brown, Jun is currently witnessing, bearing deep thankfulness in the way Sakurai looks at him. Sakurai’s voice in that imagery is cold, and his hands are bloody, while he stands like the predator he is, hovering above the corpse of his father. It sends chills down Jun’s spine, and he shakes the vision off. Deep down, he knows that Sakurai is a vampire too, a potential killer, but that is not the image, Jun needs to see now. He needs to focus on the living part of Sakurai, the, well, ‘human part’. But the image is worth remembering, to keep Jun grounded while Sakurai’s alluring words beckon Jun to throw away past ideals and opinions in the now. Jun would be a fool to be so easily manipulated, especially because he values his job and his standing in society – there is only so much he would risk for a man he barely knows, regardless of race, power and money. The latter two which Sakurai undoubtedly possesses much of.

“That is very bold of you,” despite of these words, Sakurai’s smile is thankful, “I cannot expect more. Whatever the outcome, I greatly appreciate your understanding and will to help me convey my side of the story.”

“However,” Jun raises a hand, wanting this to not get out of hand and reach terrible heights before he even leaves the café, “I need to know more about you, I need to be sure we’re on the same side. And I need you to be patient. I am still sceptical of vampires and of you in particular, Sakurai-san, given what you are and the position, you hold. Give me time to sort out the information for myself and decide afterwards. The world of media is fickle, and do not hold it against me if negotiations fall apart – I am not a singular man in my company, and I far from hold the right to the last word.”

Sakurai crosses his arms, “I could say the same thing. That I need to know more about you, before I give any particularly personal information away. Given what you are.”

Had Jun not been amused at having his own words thrown back at him like that, the small raise of Sakurai’s eyebrow would probably have left him quite frustrated, “Take some and give some then? I think we can work with that.” Bending down, Jun reaches for his planner and more paper, “It seems the article will be more elaborate than my usual morning-to-evening reportages, so we need to set up more meetings.”

“And this place will not work out. From now on, we don’t want ears around us.”

Jun furrows his brow. What is Sakurai getting at here? One thing is meeting the vampire in a relatively deserted coffee shop, another thing entirely is meeting him in private. Jun really needs to consider taking that risk.

 And it seems Sakurai notices Jun’s distrust, the look of hesitance probably evident on Jun’s face,

“I can tell you would not want a vampire in your home, so I will offer my place. It is not too desolate, and it is not a dungeon, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

Slight insecurity can be picked up from Sakurai’s tone, and Jun is honestly a little surprised that the vampire did not just demand that Jun shows up at his house on this-and-this day. He did not think the pureblood vampire could even look uncomfortable and try to hide it with a joke, and it actually throws Jun off a little, makes him rethink the immediate denial resting on his tongue as soon as Sakurai opened his mouth.

 “Do you have servants?” Jun picks at the edge of a page of his planner, looking at his fingers.

“Are you asking me that, because it would make you feel safer, or because you want to taunt me?”

Sneaking a glance, Jun finds Sakurai with mirth in the way he holds his mouth and a subtle fire in his eyes. It makes Jun feel a little too warm in his striped pullover, “What do you think?”

Sakurai chuckles darkly, “Well, I do have a housekeeper and I do have a cook. I am rarely home, and I need someone to help me keep the house warm and clean, simple as that. Also, I cannot really cook.”

Jun just cannot help himself when he smiles. It honestly sounds like Sakurai could just be your average rich guy, from the way Sakurai himself phrases it. And it leaves Jun a little curious. If not for the article, would the risk of a peek not be favoured out by the pleasure of having that curiosity satisfied? There is no way for Jun to deny the attraction to risk and the unknown – and even the scary, dangerous things – that he has always felt.

“Even if you don’t need food, you like to eat?”

One of Sakurai’s fangs catches at his full bottom lip when he grins, “I do.”

Jun shakes his head a little, “Let me think about it?” he requests, closing his planner again, “Until then, you have 10 minutes left to try and persuade me, before I need to leave. Dinner won’t cook itself at my place.”

Surprisingly, Sakurai’s face seems to light up at the prospect of Jun possibly accepting, and he leans forward over the table – resulting in Jun leaning back in his chair – as though impatient to begin the persuasion. Jun realises not only is Sakurai a smooth talker, and a great persuader, but he seems to enjoy it; whether it is because he likes the sound of his own voice, likes to challenge himself – which Jun can relate to – or something else, it is clear that Sakurai is eager to start, not needing time to consider his way of approach but diving right into it. One has to admit that is an admirable trait. Jun wonders how much Sakurai can obtain in ten minutes, because the look in the vampire’s eyes showcase a belief that he can do absolutely anything.

 

*

 

Sho has been wanting to call Matsumoto for a forth meeting many times during the past two weeks. Most often when he is busy and wishes he could just take his mind off of the council issues for a moment, to talk with someone who is not involved. Sho does not have many friends, and he is surprised at himself for seemingly wanting to become closer to Matsumoto, who is so very different from Sho. It has been a while since there was someone whom Sho felt like he could teach things, someone who does not know about Sho or his world at all, someone curious and attentive to Sho’s words. In the vampire society, everyone knows Sho, and everyone knows the vampire council and its history. Through Matsumoto, Sho seems to slowly be rediscovering his love for passing on knowledge, to talk about things in his life that interests him, things that worry him. But Sho is also curious about Matsumoto himself, who seems to be a walking contradiction. 

One moment, Matsumoto looks resentful and as though he is smelling something bad when he looks at Sho, but the next moment his eyes are wide, his tone softer as he listens attentively. And although he keeps up the casual speech and refuses to be intimidated by Sho’s presence, sometimes he seems to forget to sound resentful, childish shyness and embarrassment taking over for just a moment. He is brave and reckless, but Sho gets the feeling that Matsumoto Jun is also a very emotional and driven person, and that part of him, Sho wishes to see more of. For what reason, he is unsure.

Closing the newspaper in front of him, Sho tosses down the remainder of the thick, red liquid in his glass and gets up from his seat in the glaringly empty living room. The soft rug under his feet and the huge floor-to-ceiling bookcases muffle all noise of footsteps, and like always, Sho feels very alone in this huge mansion.

Truth be told, he does not actually want to live here. But the place has been passed down through generations, and Sho grew up in the mansion, along with his father and the many servants they had at that time. Since then, Sho has laid off most of them, so it is only him, a gardener, a main housekeeper acting as something akin to a butler at parties and the chef left. He does not need that many people here. And aside from when Nino visits, Sho is mostly left alone here, to sleep or read. A gym has been built in the basement too, and although Sho would much rather use the public ones, to at least get out, most places do not like having vampires use their machines – “your strength will mess up the equipment” or “I am sorry, but you will scare all of the other patrons away” – and so, Sho spends five out of seven mornings of the week in the basement gym, before he heads out to work. Some sleepy mornings, he wishes he had someone to train with.

That is another big limitation on the vampire society. It is isolated, not allowed to come close to the human society, not because of laws, but because of unspoken rules. For this wave of oppression against them – as it changes depending on so many things; politics, war, the power of the general population – it has lasted for the past 70 or so years, if Sho remembers correctly. It cannot be right, that vampires should be oppressed like this. The ratio of vampires to humans is naturally low, both for the fact that vampires were so hunted in the past, but also due to the risk of giving birth to a vampiric child. Sho himself is evidence of this fact, as he only heard his mother’s voice once in his life, and he no longer remembers it. There has only been Sakurai Shun – his father – no siblings, despite how his father took several lovers – some human for the sake of blood; a sentiment Sho could never understand – after Sho’s mother passed away.

Sho’s phone vibrates in his pocket, and when he unlocks it with his fingerprint, he finds a message from Nino.

**Nino**

_The cavalry is here. Meaning me. I am picking you up today, because I am in a generous mood._

_And because Murao-san wanted to speak with you before the meeting. I am thinking that maybe you can convince him to let me join in too?_

Sho chuckles.

**Sho**

_You bribing me with a free ride?_

**Nino**

_Why would you say that (;_

_Oh, and I brought you a muffin from that place you like. Just because I am generous. No bribing._

You so are bribing me, Sho thinks, but as usual, Nino’s antics improve Sho’s mood, and despite how Sho is now forced to convince Murao to let Ninomiya listen to whatever talk the older vampire is thinking of having, Sho does not mind. Because aside from the chocolate muffin, Sho loves, Ninomiya is a great ace and something akin to an advisor to Sho, not only when it concerns the council, but in private too. All from behind the scenes as he is not allowed into the council meeting room, not allowed a role really, which is ridiculous, since it is all because of name, and not abilities. There is much in the 21st century that requires change…

But aside from an advisor in terms of work, Sho loves being around Ninomiya, and if the man was not so attracted to his own small apartment, Sho would have long since invited him to share the unnecessary space here with him.

Ninomiya drives a small, cheeky blue Nissan and greets Sho with a self-satisfied grin when Sho gets in, bag with his iPad, calendar and papers on his lap.

“I brought you coffee too. Here.”

A tall cup of hot coffee gets pushed into Sho’s hands, followed by a brown paper bag, heavy and smelling of that sinfully-good muffin. Sho thanks himself for spending time on the treadmill this morning.

“You’re awfully generous. What gives?” Sho carefully lifts the lid of his coffee, as Ninomiya puts the car in gear, and finds the smell of Blue Mountain beans hitting his nose. Of course, Ninomiya knows exactly what Sho likes.

They make it out through the driveway, passing through the gates and onto the road, before Ninomiya answers, and when he does, Sho has noticed the seriousness in the air that was not easily grasped with the gesture of being treated to breakfast.

“Murao-san is going to call for an emergency meeting at the council,” Nino tells him, eyes on the road, “That Yukimura Takashi who was kidnapped while his apartment complex was burned down? Our team found him. Or, what was left of him.”

While the human society has a massive police force, the vampires make use of a smaller team of agent-like figures who patrol the streets in the shadows. If they were to form a police team too, it would just bring along even more conflict and division of laws – a much bigger mess than the authority system is already. That is why the vampires have chosen to operate more stealthily, dealing with many problems before the human police even get a smell of what has been going down. In a situation like this, the team is used to track clues and solve a crime, the human authorities are not willing to, mainly because of a bias towards the humans who can act just as criminally as vampires but have higher chances of getting away with it.

“But Murao-san wants to see me first?”

“Those conversations you’ve been having with that journalist...”

Sho freezes with the papercup halfway to his mouth, “He knows about them?”

“Is it a big secret?” Nino looks briefly at Sho, “I know you’re trying to keep it from the other council members, but you know Murao-san. He just knows these things, because he knows you.”

Cursing, Sho puts the paper bag away. Getting Matsumoto into this mess was not part of the plan. Given, he has written an article concerning the fire and the kidnapping, and he has also been on the scene of the crime, but Sho really wants to keep the man as far away from the council issues as possible. Not only to keep Sho’s plans obscure, but to keep Matsumoto safe as well. There is no reason to put his life further at risk.

“I don’t know what I can tell him then.” Sho avoids looking at Nino, by gazing out the window.

“What? Why? You’ll just be relaying what Matsumoto has told you, and what you’ve picked up from his behaviour.”

“I don’t want that.”

They are getting near the tall glass building, where all council matters take place and all investigation goes down in secret, and Sho knows he does not have much time to get Nino on his side in this. Right now, he can already feel Nino’s suspicion and disapproval of the thought of Sho protecting a human.

“If I want Matsumoto-san to trust me, I have to show some proof. There is no way, he is going to give me the information and support I need, if I do not show him that I am willing to take the beatings to protect him and his secrets. Just him meeting up with me so many times brings him distrust from his co-workers.”

“Did he tell you that?”

“It is a given, Nino. You of all people should know that,” Sho stares at Nino, begging him to understand, “There is something about Matsumoto-san, something I have not seen in a human in a long time. He would never tell me these things directly, but I am sure some of his colleagues are already starting to suspect something, just for the fact that he has not published that article and is still meeting with me, despite his apparent dislike for our race. And yet, Matsumoto-san is still willing to continue to take the risk. I do not want any harm to come to him.”

Ninomiya’s jaw flexes when he inhales noisily through his nose, “He’s gotta prove himself to you too.”

“Of course. But this only works in small steps. None of us is willing to make a bold move from the get-go. You _know_ how complicated this kind of situation is, don’t make me say it.”

A noisy exhale, “Fine. But you better keep me updated on this. I am not letting some measly human make my best friend dance into their hands.”

Sho snorts, “As if I would ever do that.”

“Yeah, I know, you’re too weird to have a lust for their blood.” Nino does not look at Sho. And Sho wonders whether Nino really believes that.

- 

They find Murao in his personal office, working with several stacks of paper in front of him, and with the door open. Politely and with confidence, Sho knocks on the door as he walks in, Nino following close behind.

“Good morning, Murao-san. Ninomiya-kun told me you wanted to see me?”

The older man looks up calmly, a small smile appearing when he sees Sho, “Yes, yes. Please come in, I have something I must discuss with you Sakurai-san, before anyone else picks up on it. Can you…?”

Sho closes the door, before turning to gesture to Nino, “If it concerns the attack and the fire in Kabuki-chou, I want Nino to hear it too,” when the door is closed on them, Sho no longer finds the need to hide his close relationship with Nino which Murao already knows about, “I think, he can offer some valuable input, and he may know something, we don’t.”

Murao folds his hands in front of himself on the desk, studying Sho’s face for a moment, before he nods, “Alright, if you vouch for him, I don’t see a problem with it. Sit down, please.”

Nino pulls the right chair a bit away and to the side of the table, for Sho to be the one facing Murao directly, a move both polite but also very clever, considering his status. As always, Nino reads the situation to a T, quieting down at Sho’s far side.

“How much do you know of what happened concerning the fire in Kabuki-chou?” Murao asks, as soon as Sho has sat down, still rummaging his bag for paper and pen, if he needs to write anything down, and Sho detects a note of impatience in the elder vampire’s voice.

“Are we in a hurry?” Sho asks, though he already knows the answer, wanting to see if Murao will reveal more of a reason to meet like this, aside from the board meeting in 30 minutes.

Murao studies Sho’s face for a moment, before answering, “Yes. The situation is turning dire. Every day that passes without us finding the culprit who bit and turned that rampant vampire without our permission, risks more civilian lives to hate crimes, just out of sheer despite and distrust from humans. We _need_ to act soon. And I had hoped your conversations with that human journalist could shed some new light on the situation.”

Though he had expected it, Sho tenses when Murao mentions Matsumoto. Albeit not mentioning him by name, it worries Sho that Murao knows about his conversations with the human journalist and can potentially come to know Matsumoto’s identity. Murao is on Sho’s side during most council disagreements, mostly because of the family name and old ties to Sho’s ancestors, but there is no saying what his opinion is on this matter. For all Sho knows, Murao is against Sho sharing knowledge and information with a human reporter – hell, even Nino is – and with his abilities and contacts, he could easily take down Matsumoto. In all kinds of ways. If it comes down to it, what would Sho do? Would he choose to stand between Murao and Matsumoto – a person, he barely knows, much less cares for?

He needs to be really careful with how much he shares with this vampire, Sho is certain of it.

“All I know is what the papers have disclosed. I hardly discuss the details of murders with the journalist, since I believe it should stay between the councils, if possible. What the papers disclose, however, is that the female vampire and her daughter of the Yukimura family were found by a journalist as the firefighters worked to stop the flames. The female contacted the council the following day, requesting our help, which I think you know too.”

“Isn’t it quite a coincidence though…?” the leather chair creeks when Murao leans back in it.

“What is?”

“That the journalist who wrote this article arrived just at that time, to witness it?”

Sho narrows his eyes, “That happens to journalists all the time. It is how we get day-to-day sensational stories like that. Are you suggesting this journalist had something to do with it?”

Over the past month, Sho has witnessed a change in Matsumoto Jun, from how he behaved in front of Sho during their very first meeting, to now. The difference would be clear even to a blind man, and it just does not add up that Matsumoto should have staged this thing. There is no gain to be had. Aside from that, Matsumoto does not have the eyes of a schemer, not the personality to par. And Sho has more than 400 years of experience with both humans and vampires, enough that he believes in his own ability to read a person.

“Don’t you think, we should consider that possibility? Reporters have a tendency to use quite… Unconventional methods to get a good story.”

Sho’s voice becomes considerably darker when he answers to Murao’s accusations, and he honestly surprises even himself with the extent he is willing to go to to defend Matsumoto, “No. I don’t think so,” Sho’s jaw flexes, “And if you are indirectly accusing the journalist I’ve met with, I can tell you that this guy is different. You may not know, because you haven’t met him, Murao-san, but I have, and there is a reason why I chose him, of all people. I would think you’d believe in my judgement.”

“I do, Sakurai-san,” Sho is not convinced, “But he is human-”

“Don’t you dare use the same lame excuse as all humans on the streets do. I will not listen to labelling coming from you, ever. You know where I stand on this.”

The response leads to Murao widening his eyes, and after a moment, he bows his head apologetically, “I am sorry, Sakurai-san, you are right. I may have crossed the line with that one.”

The vampire may be older than Sho, and he may have sat on the council for longer than Sho, always held in high regard by the younger vampire, both as an ally and as an elder, but the Sakurai name holds more power, more authority, and though Sho rarely uses that fact to his advantage, this time it appears to be necessary. Not only is Murao insulting Matsumoto Jun, he is well on his way to do the same to Sho, and that is unacceptable to Sho, if this alliance is to mean anything.

Sho runs a hand through his half-long hair and sighs, “I understand what you’re saying, but I am vouching for this guy. I am not doing this for his sake, be sure of that. I am hoping this can lead to a better understanding between vampires and humans, letting the humans see things from our perspective and learn more about our history. That is my suggestion to solving the issue. At least as a first step, if we are lucky and it works out the way I hope, it will.”

_It all comes down to Matsumoto and his talents._

Ninomiya has been quiet so far, merely observing, but finally speaks up, “If I may offer my input here, Murao-san?” when Murao nods, Ninomiya continues, “Sakurai-san has been planning this for a while, for a few years actually, investigating all potential journalists for this task, so I can vouch for him and say that his plan is not a sudden impulse. That being said, I must agree to your suspicions and worries about this man, at least until I have met him myself. Why not introduce us, Sakurai-san?”

“Absolutely not.”

Ninomiya has barely turned to face Sho, before Sho answers, voice firm, answer absolute.

“I am struggling to earn his trust as it is, and he is fighting for mine. Before we succeed in that, I am quite sure even a suggestion for a meeting between the four of us will result in suspicion and eventual failure of this entire plan, so no. I am sorry.”

It is clear that agreement does not follow Sho’s answer, and what Sho said does not soften the tension, or ease the mood. In fact, Murao’s face turns expressionless. But Sho does not bend.

Instead, he changes the topic, “I hear that we’ve found the culprit of our other case? The turning of the lesser vampire. What is status on that?”

Ninomiya clears his throat, “About that, it seems the humans still hold our unfortunate, wild vampire in custody, still alive, they say, but I am not sure how much longer. Some of our people, including Okada-san, have been interrogating the creator for his reasons and background. I suspect a verdict in a few days.” Ninomiya rests his head in his hand, “As opposed to the human court, we are quite a bit faster at passing out judgement.”

Sho hums, “That’s good news at least. Means we could be moving forward soon. If we pass a proper judgment on our part, it will send a signal to the humans.”

The case is quite important in keeping the treaty afloat for that much longer, Sho thinks, while he can build upon the relationship with Matsumoto and potentially use the media, which has gained so much influence in this day and age. Additionally, Sho is eager to give Jun something in return, should the journalist decide to share the human side of the story with Sho. A bargaining chip, one could say.

“Any other news? Murao-san, you didn’t just call me here to ask me if I am willing to share what I learn from a journalist, did you?” Sho could have mentioned what Nino already told him, but he refrains from doing so. What he and Nino share most often stays between them, one sharing secret info with the other, without anyone else catching word of it.

“Yes, well,” the man looks through some of his papers, to hand one of them to Sho. An email, from the looks of it, “Some of Okada-kun’s men found our civilian vampire, or what was left of him, head cut from his body with some kind of… Unsharpened weapon. If word of this gets out to the vampire public, I think you and I can both guess what would happen.”

“And it wouldn’t be good.”

“Not at all. We must prevent this information from getting out and find a plausible, more subtle explanation to give his family for his death. I imagined you would be able to come up with something. The wife did mention you by name after all.”

Sho looks up, surprised, “She did?”

It pulls at the corner of Murao’s lip, and Sho sees amusement and suspicion there, before the man nods.

Why would she mention him? Why would the woman mention anyone in particular from the council?

“Well, I will make sure to find time to meet her personally if she’s mentioned me by name. Any civilian who has experienced such horror is worth my time and condolences.” With that, Sho gets up, “I think the council meeting is going to start soon. I expect you’ve told me everything, Murao-san?”

Sho does not want a sneak attack from the older man during the meeting, and Sho prefers if his meetings with Matsumoto will be kept secret, and he tells Murao as much, to which the other vampire agrees.

“I think that would be for the best, yes. Nothing good would come out of the others knowing what you are up to, Sakurai-san. It would sow more than just distrust, even if you insist you are doing it for the benefit of the treaty.”

Sho narrows his eyes, knowing exactly what Murao is saying, but not letting it get to him. He is not going to back away from this and betray Matsumoto, that is not how Sho does things, “Let’s get going.”

 

*

 

Someone is following him. Has been since he left work. It is still spring, and the sun is setting now, casting long shadows across the sidewalks and between buildings. There is no sound of footsteps behind him, no shape in the corner of his eye, but nevertheless Jun feels watched, feels the eyes of someone lingering on him. He has been stalked before like this, by a vampire, but this time, he feels no malice, no hunger directed at him which is puzzling. He does not feel safe though, far from it, but the presence feels more curious than anything, keeping its distance and disappearing as soon as Jun gets off at his stop in Mejiro. Must have stayed on the train, Jun reckons and slows down his pace when he walks away from the station, feeling less on edge and finds it permissible for him not to rush anymore. Not that he could have outrun a vampire anyway, had the presence been such a creature.

The city is buzzing around him, salary men walking their way into bars arm in arm, in smaller groups, women keeping their heads down as they walk briskly to catch a bus or a train, all while Jun walks alone towards the supermarket near his apartment, to pick up some groceries for a late dinner and breakfast tomorrow. Next week is the birthday of one of Jun’s female colleagues, and he has promised to be the one to purchase the cake and flowers – for some odd reason, why is it his job? – so he is also going to stop by the cake shop to place the order. Toma and Shun did poke around each other and giggle, when it was decided it was Jun’s job to pick up the cake, while the woman herself looked at Jun with slightly pink cheeks. Birthday celebrations is the last thing on Jun’s mind right now, and dating even less so, and he told the others as much, though, unsurprisingly, they would not have it.

While he walks down the vegetable aisle, choosing spinach and renkon, thoughts of Sakurai occupy Jun’s mind; thoughts of their previous meeting and the half agreement between them. What will the vampire do now, to show Jun that he can trust him? Jun is both curious and anxious, since – and he is surprised he is actually admitting this to himself – he wants to trust the pureblood. After leaving the café the last time, Jun felt exhilaration at the prospect of seeing Sakurai yet again, to learn even more, but after a week, this exhilaration has turned to impatience and nerves, Jun both looking forward to and dreading an email or a phonecall from Sakurai. Is he shy about it? If he is, he has no idea why. There is also the part of Jun writing something that will resonate within and affect the human public, to gain Sakurai’s trust. Despite how Sakurai has met with him so many times, it is no guarantee that his trust will be easy or cheap to earn. Jun tries to quickly dispose thoughts of the pureblood vampire, when he reaches for fresh ginger and favours the planning of dinner to take over his thoughts. Food cannot possibly occupy his mind for the rest of the evening though, but Jun plans it will all work out once Aiba starts sharing today’s animal stories over dinner.

 

Jun is frying vegetables in his new pan, miso soup bubbling merrily beside him when the door opens and slams shut shortly after, a ruffling of clothes and boots audible in the genkan.

“Welcome home!”

“I’m home.” Footsteps come rushing to the kitchen, just before Aiba shows up, hair and socks looking drenched, even his jeans are darkened by water below the knee.

Jun raises an eyebrow.

“It started raining.”

“I can see that.” Jun cannot help but grin as he runs his eyes over Aiba’s sorry state, “Dinner is going to be ready in just a few minutes. Did the rain delay you on your way home?”

“Nah, not much,” Aiba walks out again, and his voice carries from his bedroom while he probably searches for a dry set of clothes, “I had a very sick kitten coming in just a few minutes before closing, its owner white as a sheet. There was no way I could turn them away, you know. Turns out the little guy had been bitten by a fox, so I will have to leave early tomorrow to check up on him and give him another shot of antibiotics.”

Letting the spatula hover above the pan, Jun sends a faint smile Aiba’s way, “Of course. I hope he’ll be ok.”

“Of course, he will. I’m taking good care of him,” Aiba beams at Jun as he runs past him to the bathroom.

Aiba works as a vet at an animal clinic in Roppongi, always caring for the animals as if they were his own, a trait Jun admires greatly about him. He is never too busy to take care of a wounded cat or dog, and sometimes he even brings one home he has to take particular care of. Over the course of three years, Jun has met a few puppies and a parrot, none of them taking a particular liking to Jun, who is very bad with animals, but they are always perfectly well-behaved around Aiba. Jun is only a little jealous, because he has always liked animals a lot and does not quite understand why they do not reciprocate his feelings.

When Jun is done with dinner, he takes off his apron and sets the table. He enjoys his cooking nights just as much as he enjoys coming home to one of Aiba’s meals. It is an arrangement they started just half a year after Jun moved in, and it has saved them both time and trouble in the kitchen, the space not being quite big enough to fit two grown men cooking at the same time. And where Jun usually cooks traditional Japanese food or Italian, Aiba is an expert in cooking Chinese food, especially proud of his mabo tofu which is apparently a family recipe.

Jun walks over to his small wine rack to look for a wine that goes well with the simple rice, vegetables, soup and fish, and is bending over a Sauvignon Blanc when Aiba returns.

“Did you write something good at work today, MatsuJun?”

“Hmm,” satisfied with his choice, Jun straightens up and walks back to find Aiba talking a seat by the table, “Nothing particularly special today. Just an update on that vampire the authorities still hold in custody. A report of the provocative kind, to encourage people to express their opinion: whether they think it is right to keep the vampire in our custody instead of handing him over to the authority of his own kind. Wine?”

“What do you think?” Aiba takes a sip of the wine and hums.

Jun starts filling Aiba’s plate and rice bowl while he lets the quiet create the sense that he is pondering on the question, “Honestly, I don’t think we have the right to hold onto him. It seems almost like he’s a hostage, you know? Even if he did commit the crime of killing humans, it is like passing judgement on a foreigner in Japan when the guy should be punished on his own country’s terms. If that makes sense? It just seems to me that the longer we hold onto him, the more problematic this situation becomes.”

And now he is thinking of Sakurai again, cannot keep himself from wondering what Sakurai would say. Probably something along these lines, and that is sort of scary to Jun, how affected he already seems to have become by the pureblood vampire. What Sakurai would or could do about it though, Jun does not know. He knows a reporter like him does not have that much power, aside from potentially making the human population consider the issue.

Aiba smiles faintly at Jun, “You sound different.”

“Different?”

“Good different! – This is really tasty, by the way.”

“I’m happy. But, Aiba-kun, what do you mean? Since when have I sounded different?”

Aiba’s face falls a little, as though he regrets blurting it out, but he has always been like this; honest and kind, never very good at keeping secrets, and to be fair, Jun likes it, since honest people like Aiba are so rare in this day and age.

“Well, I guess,” Aiba scratches his head, “after the second meeting with that vampire? After you went to meet him at the café. But MatsuJun, I don’t mean it in a bad way. I think you sound much less… Judgmental, and more objective? You no longer just base your opinion on your own nature as a human, you try to consider the treaty with the vampires and their situation too, when you state your opinion. Which I think is really good. Not many people dare to do that anymore.”

Jun’s vegetables are growing a bit cold as he pokes at them, gnawing at his bottom lip as he does so. He has changed, huh?

“Did I say something wrong, ah, I did, didn’t I? Sorry!”

Jun shakes his head, chuckling faintly, “No, you didn’t say something wrong. It’s ok.”

Surprisingly, it makes Jun quite happy. Must be because it shows the fruition of Jun learning more about the vampires, of Jun growing as a person and overcoming this fear and wariness of the foreign creature, the creature which has always appeared a little gross and animalistic to Jun. For someone like Jun, who is almost addicted to becoming better and overcoming things he has trouble facing, growing mentally and broadening his mind can only be a good thing, right?

The catch however, is how Jun’s boss will like the change.

-

The presence is there again the next day, as soon as he exits the train and walks past the ticket gate, he feels a shadow in the corner of his eye, a presence he cannot see nor hear, only feel. If he had not experienced it before, he would perhaps have blamed it on paranoia and too much interaction with a vampire smirking at him and licking his lips. But from experience, Jun knows when he is being watched, albeit _only_ watched this time, the shadow not following him further than between his office building and Mejiro station again. On the third day, when Jun tries to walk around an alleyway, to see if he can catch the guy red-handed, whoever it is disappears as soon as Jun heads too far down towards an empty dead end, and only then does Jun realise how risky that move is for himself. Immediately he turns back, not wanting to run into a vampire or a thug that wants more than just a look at him.

Although Jun does not feel threatened by the presence, he does not like how someone is watching his moves so closely, and he does not like how he does not know the reason for it. In light of recent events, Jun has a greater fear of it being some human related to his work, someone who is suspicious of his meetings with Sakurai, or perhaps someone who is aware of his activities and new style in writing articles, someone curious of his apparent change of heart – as some of Jun’s colleagues call it. As cynical as it sounds, a vampire can only take his blood and potentially his life, a human can take away his job, his pride and his freedom, which are perhaps more important to Jun than his skin.

After a week, Jun is close to becoming seriously frightened. It is a Saturday and Jun has just returned from a short day at work, leaving earlier to see if the shadow would still follow him at 3 pm., with the excuse to his boss that he is going to work on the current article from home. When the shadow did appear, Jun found himself no longer able to stay unfazed. And so, in his frazzled state, there is no pride to stop him from calling Sakurai. It is not before the call actually goes through and Sakurai’s voice – deepened and slightly gravely as it is over the phone – greets him with a “Matsumoto-kun, what a surprise”, that Jun realises what he just did.

“Sakurai-san? I am sorry for calling you so suddenly.”

“Don’t worry about it, I am not too busy right now. What can I help you with? Are you calling regarding our next meeting?”

“No, not concerning the next meeting. Actually, I am not sure why I am calling _you_ , but I wasn’t sure whom else to call.”

Sakurai becomes quiet at that; Jun cannot even hear him breathing. Does a vampire need to breathe? “Go on.” His voice has turned serious and darker somehow, and Jun wonders what Sakurai is thinking in this moment. To Jun, the man always appears so mysterious, and it is even harder to read him over the phone.

“I, um- I think I am being followed.” Jun slaps himself over the forehead for sounding so vague, “I mean, I _know_ I am being followed, I have felt eyes on the back of my neck for a week now.”

“But you haven’t seen the person stalking you?”

“No.” For a moment, Jun is afraid Sakurai is going to dismiss the thought and hang up on him, and the fear causes him to quickly blabber on, “But I am sure someone is there. I don’t feel the intention to cause me any harm, but I am afraid they might know about our meetings and suspect things. I am not even sure whether the person is a vampire or a human, and they only seem to follow me between my office and Mejiro station.”

Again, Sakurai falls silent, and Jun panics slightly. Wow, what is he even doing, calling someone he barely knows with an issue like this? “You know what, forget I called, I don’t even know why I did call you. I won’t disturb you wh-”

“Tell me your address.”

“What?”

“Tell me your address, I am going to pick you up.”

*

Sho is surprised when Matsumoto does not refuse and with little hesitation gives away his address. It is quite a contrast to the aloof person Sho knows from all of their meetings, but that just proves what Matsumoto clearly has been a victim of for a while. To go as far as to call Sho, Sho reasons Matsumoto must have been pushed to the very edge. When Sho briskly walks to his car and does not hesitate before starting the ignition, he worries about the possible reasons why Matsumoto may be followed. There are endless possibilities associated with Matsumoto’s work; humans who do not like how Matsumoto has been meeting with Sho, and how the man has begun to consider both sides of a story he writes when it includes both humans and vampires or vampires disliking him for the same reason. But what nags at Sho’s mind the most is the fact that Murao knows about Matsumoto, proven by the meeting only a week ago. Sho knows that Murao supports Sho’s family name during council meetings, but there is no saying what he would do against a human who gets a little too close to the secrets of vampires, even if said human is offered the information by one of their own. In this case, Sho. And Sho only holds so much power, he cannot force the other purebloods to agree with his methods. It will undoubtedly get even more dangerous for Matsumoto if Murao passes the word along to any vampire who was not present in the meeting between Sho, Murao and Nino. With that in mind, Sho decides to keep a closer eye on Murao, even if the vampire is not the one responsible for sending a stalker to follow Matsumoto.

When Sho pulls up across from Matsumoto’s apartment complex, he sends the man a text instead of walking to his front door. It is enough that Matsumoto has allowed him to come this close, Sho is not going to push his luck. Keeping it simple, Sho types _I’m here._ , before leaning back in his seat to wait. The car has tinted windows, and Sho wonders if Jun will be able to pinpoint Sho’s car from its sleek, anonymous appearance. Sho has always preferred black cars, and rides an Audi privately, even if Nino suggested a small, compact Nissan with a smirk. No way Sho is going to drive such a small car.

Just as Sho wonders if Matsumoto will have too much pride to text Sho and ask him what car he is in, the door of the passenger seat opens, and Sho sees a glimpse of dark jeans, a white shirt and a short, red-checked cardigan before Matsumoto bends down and Sho finds him pulling off a pair of sunglasses.

“I, err,” Matsumoto looks increasingly uncomfortable as he gets in and shuts the door behind him, fumbling with the seatbelt and what he is about to say, “I am sorry for the trouble this may be causing you. As I said, I am not sure exactly what is going on but.”

Sho cannot help a soft smile when he looks at Matsumoto whose eyes are cast down in his lap, clearly embarrassed and nervous about being so close and alone with Sho. Determined to prove that Matsumoto can trust him, Sho sets the car in gear and pulls out and onto the road, “Don’t be. I was thinking we could try and figure it out together. I knew from the beginning that our arrangement could cause you trouble, but I am sorry for not being able to prevent it from apparently happening so soon.”

From the corner of his eye, he sees Matsumoto look up, “Do you have an idea of who it might be?”

“I have a few ideas to be honest. None of them with any evidence, I am afraid, but at least I want you to try and take a different route to work from now on, see if it makes a difference.” Turning his head briefly, Sho meets Matsumoto’s wide eyes and notices how light brown they are, “If you don’t mind, I’d like you to describe exactly what happened, with as many details as you can remember. And if you are anxious about going to my place, I can just drive around Tokyo and we can discuss it here, with no eyes or ears to watch us.”

Matsumoto seems to consider those options for a while, looking out the windshield. Sho can understand his hesitation and reckons Matsumoto must be asking himself right now, why he forewent his boundaries and previous caution and got into Sho’s car. There is likely nothing Sho can say to make him feel less on edge, he can only prove himself through his actions.

“It is ok.”

“Hm?”

“I was the one calling you on a Saturday. We can go to your place, if you don’t mind.”

Sho has to glance at Matsumoto once. Twice. Just to make sure it is the right journalist, he picked up and not some imposter, “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

 

For the remainder of the ride, the two of them are silent, with Matsumoto turned away from Sho to look out the window, and Sho focusing on the road ahead. They are far from close enough to be riding in a car together, Sho figures Matsumoto may think, so he lets the human keep his silence. However, Sho does once or twice sneak a glance at Matsumoto’s casual wear, his neatly-styled short, black hair, and notices the bags under his eyes in the process. He does not know why, but the observation nags at him, his c conscience wanting to point it out to the human, ask why he does not get enough sleep, although Sho knows he is by no means in any position to say such a thing. They are strangers.

The white and black stones make crunching noises as the car rolls up the driveway to the mansion, huge sakura trees flanking the white building. Sho parks the car slightly to the left of the house, not bringing it all the way to the garage, with the knowledge that it probably will not be many hours before he takes Matsumoto back to his apartment.

“That’s… A big house.” Matsumoto observes, words unfiltered.

There is not really anything to say to that, so Sho just shrugs and exits the car as Matsumoto does the same.

“Is this a pureblood vampire thing? Big houses, expensive cars?”

“It’s not that expensive,” Sho answers dryly, a little offended because really, some of the council members ride Porches, “And the house is a family heirloom of sorts, so I guess you could say it’s a pureblood thing. At least for the Sakurai family.”

“So, you grew up here?”

Matsumoto follows Sho to the entrance and walks in when Sho opens the door for him politely, after only a glance at Sho, perhaps wondering to himself why he is stepping into the lair of a bloodsucker. Sho is not going to devour Matsumoto. Well. Today at least.

Sho cannot keep from looking at Matsumoto’s back, triangular as it is; broad, strong shoulders and a narrow waist testimony to regular exercise. Then suddenly something else hits Sho. And convinces him that Matsumoto can stay no longer than a few hours: The human’s scent. During the few seconds he is behind the journalist, a whiff – more than enough – reaches Sho’s nostrils. And to say that the smell is intoxicating to Sho is an understatement. Only by drawing on decades of practise in exercising control does Sho prevent the elongating of his fangs.

“I’ll prepare some tea, so please make yourself comfortable. Or try…” Sho trails off and gestures towards the living room sofa. He knows asking Matsumoto to be comfortable is a little too optimistic.

In the kitchen, Sho stops abruptly to grip the cool, marble counter, knuckles turning white as he closes his eyes. Of all people… Matsumoto’s smell is not especially new to Sho’s nose, the individual fragrances that is. However, the combination does something to Sho he has not experienced before. From the beginning, there was that underlying question of why this journalist in particular caught Sho’s interest, a question Sho forewent to just focus on the task at hand. Because however gorgeous Matsumoto is, Sho has seen quite a few handsome vampires in his life – though, he has to admit, Matsumoto is quite the specimen, and he is _human_. But to think that the human would smell so… Mouth-watering. Licking his lips and inhaling deeply to calm his instincts to feed, Sho tries to convince himself to keep an even greater distance to Matsumoto from now on, to be sure there is a gap between them, despite how his vampiric nature thrashes and protests against the idea. But if it is for Matsumoto’s safety and Sho’s sanity, and for the sake of this whole ordeal in general, Sho knows it should be worth it.

_What an inconvenient time for such a temptation to be revealed._

Sho calms his boiling blood by preparing the hot water and the tea-leaves, having been taught since he was young how to prepare a perfect blend of tea, as expected of someone of his status in his family. By telling himself what disaster it would bring to both Sho’s reputation amongst the vampire council, Nino and Murao’s trust in him and Matsumoto’s faith as well, he gets a step closer to convincing himself not to bite Matsumoto. And when he considers the trouble Matsumoto would find himself in, should he show up at his office with the mark of a bite on the side of his neck – heck, anything to cover it would reveal what has happened, since his colleagues are already suspicious and against the general idea of Matsumoto’s article – Sho _knows_ , he cannot suck his blood. Matsumoto’s safety and reputation are more important than the hunger of a vampire, even if said vampire is a pureblood. Actually, exactly because Sho is what he is, there is even more reason for him to hold back. He has pride and a reputation to uphold.

It is as though through the smell of him, Sho has realized how attracted he in fact is to Matsumoto. Approaching from behind with the tray, Sho’s eyes zero in on the back of the man’s neck, the stark contrast of black hair against white skin, and those dots of beauty marks spread practically everywhere, small specks of temptation, begging to be discovered and touched. Has instinct so far suppressed the attraction, or has attraction towards the human itself suppressed Sho’s instincts? Because he knows he should keep the relationship professional, that was his goal, that _is_ his goal.

It is as though now that Sho has smelt it once, it lingers in his nostrils. The fresh smell of lemon, of pine needles and freshwater and Matsumoto’s cologne that is spicy and bold. When Sho remains at a distance, the fragrance is faint, but it is there, and Sho believes he will probably never be rid of it again.

Along with the tea, Sho has brought a dark cup, the clay thick so Matsumoto cannot see what is in it, because seeing what Sho is going to drink now, to suppress his hunger, is most likely not going to have a positive effect on the man. Sho proceeds to pour Matsumoto a cup of the clear, green tea, but instead of offering it for Matsumoto to take, Sho puts it down in front of him on the transparent glass table, recalling Matsumoto’s reaction the last time Sho handed him something.

And Matsumoto does give Sho a brief stare, which Sho hopes means thankfulness for Sho’s caution.

“So,” Sho sits down in the chair opposite the sofa, watching as Matsumoto reaches for the cup and brings it to his nose.

“It smells really good. You said, you couldn’t cook?”

“Well, cooking and brewing a cup of tea are two very different things, I believe. You don’t want to ask for anything but tea or coffee from me.” Sho smiles crookedly, pleased when he is given a brief smile in return.

While Matsumoto is occupied with blowing on his steaming cup, Sho takes a big gulp of his own drink, letting the heavy, thick flavour coat his tongue and distract him for a moment. It is not particularly tasty; of a fair quality, but cold. It has been a long time since Sho had something fresh and warm…

“What are you drinking?”

Curiosity and something Sho cannot quite read shows in Matsumoto’s eyes, when Sho meets them over the rim of his mug, and Sho is slightly intrigued by the fact that Matsumoto is asking, when he no doubt knows the answer.

“I am sorry, but you did call me on a Saturday,” Sho puts the mug back on the table, “Cut the vampire some slack.”

“Is it donated?”

Sho lifts an eyebrow, surprised that Matsumoto does not seem too revolted by the fact that Sho is sitting right across from him, drinking bagged blood. But perhaps he remembers from the interview, Sho did hint at purebloods not drinking bagged blood, and look at Sho now.

“I didn’t tap it from a living human in the basement, if that’s what you’re asking.” Matsumoto visibly pales, and Sho wants to hit himself, “Sorry, that was over the line. I don’t see humans as cattle, Matsumoto-kun, I really don’t.”

“Really?”

“Really.” Sho shakes his head, clearing his throat, “Please don’t let it distract you. I did not bring you here to make you uncomfortable.”

When Matsumoto leans back against the cushions of the sofa, visibly relaxing a little, Sho finds it suitable to bring up the reason why he brought Matsumoto here, “Concerning your stalker – or whatever he is – as I mentioned, I may have a few candidates, but I only know what you told me over the phone. I think we need to find the guy, before he grows bolder and is no longer satisfied with just watching you.”

Matsumoto goes quiet, eyes turning a little unfocused as they rest on the table between them, “It’s been going on for a week now. Always between my work in Shinjuku to Mejiro station. The person does not get off like me at Mejiro, for some reason, but I’m scared they’re going to do so at some point.”

Sho hums, “That’s very likely.”

“I don’t feel any vicious intent as such, no bloodlust, although I am not sure whether it’s a human or a vampire, but it just feels like they’re content with watching. At least for now.”

“That does sound very odd. Have you told anyone else about it?”

“Again, I am not sure why I am telling _you_ , but I guess there is no one else I trust with the information, someone who knows what I – we – have been up to.”

Everyone at Matsumoto’s office knows about his plans for writing an article on vampires, and they all know that Sakurai Sho is involved, however, Sho realizes Matsumoto is indirectly telling Sho now that what they are plotting with the article is a secret between the two of them, and it pleases Sho greatly. Because that brings them that much closer to trusting each other, and the fact that Matsumoto came here today, despite how he evidently is a little shocked about it himself, makes Sho believe that what they are doing could actually work.

“I tried cornering him, actually,” Matsumoto continues and Sho furrows his brow, “But that just lead me into a dark alleyway where he wouldn’t follow, so that doesn’t seem like it would work.”

“A dark alleyway, where?”

“Around Kabuki-chou,” Matsumoto clearly already knows what mistake he made, and what that misstep could have let to, but that cannot keep Sho from frowning and adding in a rather stern voice,

“That was very reckless of you.”

Annoyance shows in the way Matsumoto purses his lips and stares hard at Sho, but Sho does not relent. It is stupid and dangerous, walking in dark alleyways as a defenceless human, during the conflict’s peak.

“You of all people know how dangerous Kabuki-chou is right now. Potentially less so for a human, but you can never be too cautious.”

“You can.” Matsumoto’s eyes are obstinate, but then he seems to deflate a bit, sighing when Sho does not stop staring back at him, “I know it was dangerous, but I didn’t realise, until I found myself alone in the shadows and hurried back. I won’t try again, if that’s what you’re trying to make me understand.”

Humming in approval, Sho does not realise how Matsumoto actually followed his advice just now, instead of trying to prove Sho wrong. He does, however, pick up on something else; the fact that Matsumoto may be more frightened than he lets on, evident with how he casts his eyes down and runs his fingers over the soft fabric of the couch.

“I’ll have you know,” Sho starts, changing the topic when he decides he may as well be generous today, “I visited the Yukimura household.” Matsumoto looks up again, recognition evident on his face, “Apparently, _someone_ mentioned my name to the widow.” For the journalist not to misunderstand and think Sho is angry about the fact, Sho tilts his head and grins as he continues, “We haven’t found the people responsible for her husband’s murder, but I did learn that the husband went up against some humans who were discussing that case of the rabid, newly-turned vampire. Apparently, the three male humans were pushing the blame on the vampire society as a whole, which our dead vampire could not stand idly by and listen to. He stood up for the general vampire households, saying not every vampire is a ‘crazy lunatic sucker’ – called so by one of the men, original, I know – and that apparently made the group very angry at the vampire, for provoking them and ‘advocating vampire murderers’.

“I have some associates in the vampire council who are currently looking for these three men as they may hold a clue to what happened to the vampire male, and who knows, maybe they killed him for speaking his mind. The vampire may also have held some information about the maker of our rampant vampire; the cases may be connected, you realise.”

Sho leans back again and crosses his legs, eyes intently studying Matsumoto’s unreadable expression.

“Why are you telling me this, Sakurai-san? I’m a journalist, I’m going to go straight home and write what you just told me.”

“Exactly. It’ll reach the public soon, one way or another, so if anyone is to write it, I want it to be you. You won’t taint the truth with discrimination, making it seem like it was the vampires’ fault all along. So, please do write about it.”

“You’re putting an awful lot of faith in me.”

“Matsumoto-kun, I am aware of that.”

“There’s that honorific again.”

Sho’s grin widens, “You dislike it?”

“That- that’s… Whatever.” Matsumoto scoffs, but his ears are red when he reaches for his notebook, and a pleasant shiver runs through Sho.

Deciding to cut the man some slack, Sho swallows the rest of his drink and lets the silence linger while Matsumoto writes down a few notes, answering when the human asks for confirmation on some lesser details.

Five minutes later, Matsumoto closes the notebook, and Sho returns to the more important topic, “To return to your stalker problem, as I mentioned before, try and see if you can follow a different route to and from work next week and let me know if anything changes, please? I will do a little investigation of my own, ask around without revealing too much, if you trust me to do so. If we are lucky, it won’t take me long to find out who it is.”

There is suddenly a raw vulnerability in Matsumoto’s brown eyes when he looks back up at Sho – clearly caught off guard – something Sho has not seen in the man up until now; Matsumoto has mostly shown boldness and curiosity, even perfectionism.

“And when the time comes,” Sho continues, smiling faintly, “You can perhaps tell me what happened in the past that made you react like this to a potential stalker. I sense it is not the first time such a thing has happened to you, but I am not going to force you to tell me. The past is first and foremost your own.”

Matsumoto is even more wide-eyed now, “Why are you like this?”

Sho blinks. He thought the journalist was incredulous about Sho noticing a secret about his past, but it seems Sho’s assumption was wrong, “What?”

“Why are you being this… kind to me? When I am human and have shown you so little respect, only to come running to you when I’m in trouble?”

“Perhaps I realised your rudeness derived from ignorance and vague assumptions?” Sho shrugs, smirk playing at his lips when Matsumoto turns a little pink at his cheeks again, “We are a team now, you know. I have much to prove to you, just as you have to prove yourself to me. I find it only adequate that I help you to the best of my abilities.”

“Regardless,” Matsumoto clears his throat, and Sho stares as his long eyelashes brush over his cheekbones when he closes his eyes slowly, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Matsumoto really is changing, but could Sho be too?

 

*

 

How did he find himself here of all places, Jun wonders with chagrin, watching Kamenashi go all out with a grin on his face despite the noise he makes. If Jun’s co-worker had not caught Jun off guard, Jun might have gotten away with a ‘I won’t be available’. But then again, removing even the smallest of suspicions of Jun having more than just a simple popularity and money motive with his vampire article will be fair use of his time, even if it means joining Kamenashi at the shooting range. Admittedly, it would be fairly odd for Jun, who has been here many times, to suddenly dislike the idea of going and additionally – now that Jun considers it – it may not be a bad idea to keep up his gun skills.

In a country like Japan a gun range is quite the shady place, but because of vampires, many human males gather here anyway, making it more and more common to receive weapons training. Despite Japan’s history of having an anti-military mentality. 

_Despicable._

Now that Jun has Sakurai Sho’s words in his head, has seen the wounded faces of innocent vampires and has learned too much – in quite a short time actually, 3 months or so – it seems as though the humans are preparing for war, while the vampires are trying their best to fit in in society. Jun shakes his head. He cannot make such conclusions without having seen more of what vampires are. He needs to get more of an impression, needs to meet vampires in the lower classes, and in the upper classes, someone who is not Sakurai, because he seems to be quite a unique individual.

The gun feels still heavier in his hand, and Jun has not moved since Kamenashi handed it to him, even if he should be able to find inspiration in the heavy activity around him. Now is not the time to think about the vampire conflict.

Jun finally turns around to look down through the range to his target. But when he lifts the gun and aims, Sakurai’s words fill his head and Jun sees the worried expression on the pureblood’s face when Jun told him about his stalker. To think the vampire would care that much. Jun is not sure what he expected when he called Sakurai on Saturday, but it certainly was not for the vampire to come pick him up and spend time offering Jun help _and_ inform him about recent developments in some of the cases, Jun has been involved with, giving information that even the human police did not know about. They will, however, learn when Jun publishes his article on it tomorrow.

Jun has done his best to hide the fact that Sakurai is his informer, stating sources as anonymous and refraining from quoting Sakurai directly, for anyone to be able to guess whose words, Jun writes down. Humans may not be able to guess Jun’s source, but Jun has no way of knowing if anyone close to Sakurai reads the Yomiuri Shimbun and whether they will come across the article. Some of them may be able to guess Sakurai’s role anyway, since some purebloods must know Sakurai has been talking to the Yukimura family, but Jun is leaving that part for Sakurai himself to solve. Jun just hopes he is doing enough to show Sakurai how thankful he is.

“Hey, spacing out, are we? What’cha thinking of?”

A heavy weight drops down on Jun’s shoulder, and Jun loses his target, secretly relieved that he is given an additional moment before he has to fire.

He tries offering Kame an apologetic smile, “Sorry, I think I am just tired. A lot has been going on recently.”

“All the more reason to practice more, MatsuJun. If a vampire should attack you – BAM!” Jun flinches, “You shoot it.”

“That does not necessarily kill it though,” Jun smiles cheekily, hoping to hide his muddled feelings about the ordeal.

Kamenashi grins, “Should give you enough time to shoot it again though.” He pats Jun’s back, “Now, show me those skills of yours, teach your kouhai how to do it.”

There is no choice for Jun but to do it, so when he raises the gun again, he attempts to lock out any thoughts, relying only on his body’s recognition of the movements, the habitual way he can now lift the gun, aim and shoot. _This does not mean anything, it does not prove anything._

Only when the bullet hits the target right between the eyes does Jun gasp, the echo of a resigned sigh ghosting through his head, followed by a vision of black eyes, sad and disappointed. Kame does not notice, and if he does, the gasp can be understood as a reaction to him suddenly slapping Jun’s back with a small cheer,

“Awesome! You’re a natural, seriously, I wish I had your talent. Born to shoot something, huh,” he winks and goes back to his own booth, clearly all fired up and motivated.

Jun feels sick.

When Kamenashi starts spouting words of “I’ll get one of those damn suckers right in the head” and “This bullet should teach them not to infest our city”, Jun leaves without another word. He will just have to explain himself tomorrow, but such a thing will be much easier than to remain here.

 

*

 

Usually, Ninomiya will waste no time before digging happily into a bowl of ramen, especially if it has an extra egg like this one. However, the vampire is currently eyeing Sho with suspicion, resting his head on his palm, “Normally, I would not question your generosity Sho-chan, but this happens to occur at a most suspicious timing. What’s your motive?”

“You assume I – like you – cannot treat my friend to food without having an ulterior motive?”

Ninomiya narrows his eyes, “Yes.”

Sho laughs in a short bark, “If you were to tell me that on any other day, I would be wounded, Nino.”

“You know as well as I that loaded as you are, you know exactly how to use money for a purpose.”

“What are you insinuating?” Sho tilts his head and mirrors Nino’s smirk, thinking they really are not that different when it comes to some personality traits. Shaking his head then, Sho gives in, “Well, you are right. I did bring you here for a reason; I don’t want anyone to listen in on this conversation after all. Especially not Murao-san.”

Their booth is sheltered off from the rest of the ramen shop, well away from the kitchen and the door, as well as the eyes of curious patrons. With the half wall raised up beside them, outsiders will be able to get a glimpse of their table and food, but not their faces, and their voices will be muffled. Because the food and the mood are great too, Sho and Nino come here quite often.

“I am listening,” Ninomiya announces, just as he finally digs into his food.

Only Japanese hamburger and ramen can get this particular vampire to moan in appreciation.

“I want to know if the stalking of Matsumoto Jun is your doing.” Ninomiya has his mouth full of food and only hums, so Sho continues, “I don’t know whether it’s you personally or one of your lackeys, but only someone like you would be able to follow a target for a week without giving themselves away or getting trapped in an alley if the target was cunning.”

“Oh yeah, he did try to do that. Would’ve been clever, had he not ended up there alone. I assume he got out unharmed?”

Anger wells up in Sho at the nonchalant reveal of his best friend almost messing up Sho’s plan and putting Jun’s life in danger. He narrows his eyes and hisses dangerously, “That was very reckless of you. Going behind my back like that.”

One third of the ramen is already eaten, when Nino looks up at Sho again, eyes surprisingly a little wide, as though Ninomiya is actually stunned at Sho’s reaction. With the anger rising in him, Sho cannot comprehend why Nino would not think this would annoy Sho, “Matsumoto-kun has told me about it, that he has been followed for a week from his work to Mejiro station. I demand you tell me the purpose of this.”

Sho only ordered a beer for himself, but so far, he has drunk nothing, and it is probably turning lukewarm.

“You’re very angry about this.”

“The hell I am!”

Ninomiya seems to be thoroughly searching Sho’s face, for what, Sho has no idea of and honestly, he does not care, “… Why?”

The honesty and stunned surprise in Ninomiya’s eyes does cause Sho to deflate a bit. His friend clearly has no idea what he has done wrong, and Sho is starting to suspect that Ninomiya has not only done this for his own benefit.

“Because you’ve not only risked my deal with Matsumoto-kun, you’ve risked his life too. And I cannot let such a thing happen.”

“Wait.” Ninomiya holds up a hand, dries his mouth with a small paper towel and finally leans forward over the table, face moving closer to Sho’s, so Ninomiya can say the following thing in a quieter voice, “Am I getting this right?” Suddenly, he breaks out in a huge grin, and Sho does not like where he thinks this is going. One minute ago, his anger was making Ninomiya nervous, and now this?

“What are you talking about?”

“You want to eat him.”

The statement hits Sho like a bullet, stunning him into forgetting his anger.

“I don’t want to eat him, Nino.”

“Hah! You do! You so do!” Of course, Ninomiya would not buy such a lame lie, and it really annoys Sho that had Ninomiya asked just a few days ago, Sho would not have had to lie, “I can’t believe it. He must be quite something, this reporter, for THE Sakurai Sho to want to sink his teeth into him. I seriously gotta meet him.” And just like that, Nino discards Sho’s anger and turns the situation in his own favour.

“You’ve been stalking him for a week,” Sho deadpans.

“I mean meet for real, face to face.”

A spike of something hot flares in Sho, and he immediately shoots Nino down, “No.”

“Why not?” Ninomiya is grinning, but Sho is not having it.

“You’ve done enough already. Do you seriously think I’d let you get close to him when you’ve already endangered so much? His life and his career, and _mine_ too.”

Betrayal and disappointment falls over Ninomiya’s face, and Sho almost regrets the harsh tone. But the vampire in front of him has always been suspicious of others, always sneaking in the shadows, and where his abilities have helped Sho more times than he can count, now it is a bother to him. And that is most likely why Ninomiya has such a hard time understanding what he is currently doing wrong.

“Look,” Sho runs a hand through his thick hair, possibly messing it up even more than it already is, “Please tell me why you did it to begin with? Why was it necessary for you to stalk him?” Because by now, Sho is certain it is Ninomiya himself who has been watching Jun so closely.

Avoiding Sho’s eyes, Ninomiya pokes around his ramen bowl with his chopsticks, “Because I don’t trust him. Sho-chan, you’re not usually the type to go and do something this reckless. I was worried,” he mumbles, but Sho’s ears pick it up easily, “Can’t have my friend go get himself killed if I can stop it.”

“You know as well as I that killing me isn’t easy.”

Ninomiya snorts and looks back up, “Just gotta decapitate you.”

“Go ahead and try,” Sho challenges and grins. There is no way Sho can stay angry at Ninomiya for long, and the mood is quickly turning as both relief and gratitude washes over Sho.

Knowing it was Ninomiya, and not a human, who has been following Jun, makes it much easier to stop the stalking – it may even turn out to be an advantage that Ninomiya has been following Jun around. Though Sho is not in mind to make Jun suspect anything, especially since they have gotten so far since they met.

“I get you want me to stop following him, but before that, I think there is something I need to tell you.”

Sho’s smile falls instantly, noting the serious tone in Ninomiya’s voice, indicating that he has some information, Sho is not sure he wants to hear.

“Matsumoto went to the gun range yesterday, with someone from his work.”

“And?”

“’And?’? Sho-chan, only humans who want to practice shooting vampires go to the shooting range!”

To Sho, the discovery does not disturb him too much. For some, it would sound like a threat that Jun is practicing his shooting, but Sho cannot help but feel relieved that the human can protect himself, especially given the current conflict, as naïve a thought as that is. He finally allows himself a sip of his beer, knowing that although Jun will be able to shoot at Sho, Sho cannot die from a simple bullet, even if Jun really tried. But Sho also cannot imagine that the journalist would want to, not after all of their meetings. If he has hidden motives of killing Sho, he would have tried to murder Sho months ago. No need to deceive Sho first.

“He is not going to shoot me, Nino.”

Ninomiya’s eyes widen, “What? You trust him that much?”

“It’s not so much about trusting him,” putting down his glass, Sho makes sure that he is having a firm hold on Ninomiya’s eyes, “But I give myself the credit of knowing him well enough to be sure that he is not going to try and kill me. That’s not what he wants.”

“What does he want then?”

“Didn’t I tell you and Murao-san both? He wants his story, and I want his angle. You know,” Sho decides to involve Ninomiya further in his plan then and there – it will possibly keep misunderstandings and slipups, like Nino stalking Jun, from happening again, “There is one thing, I have not told Matsumoto-kun. He believes I just want that one article, but have you noticed how he recently started changing the angle of his stories? How he is no longer biased towards the humans, like all his colleagues at the papers’?”

“No.”

Sho rolls his eyes. Of course, Ninomiya would not read human newspapers, “Well, you should. Then you would understand that changing Matsumoto’s way of thinking slowly changes his articles in turn. And that is what I am after. If his opinion changes, it may affect the opinion of those around him. I hope that Matsumoto will share my information, and if I am lucky, it will reach his colleagues too, and the vampires’ situation will be spread, to open the eyes of more of the humans. That is why I chose Matsumoto Jun. He is popular, charismatic and his looks even work in our favour.” Ninomiya smirks, and Sho knows what he is thinking, but does not let him say anything smart, “You know where I am getting at with this. If anyone can pull it off, I believe it is him. He is reckless and brave enough.”

“That does require quite a bit of luck,” Ninomiya drains his own glass of beer.

“I know. That is why I _need_ you on my side, Nino. I need you to trust me.”

 “Oh, I trust you. But I don’t trust your journalist.”

“Give him a chance. Please? I don’t need you to trust him, but trust in my judgement of him, at least.”

Ninomiya studies Sho quite a long moment after that, searching for something in his eyes, perhaps pondering his words, and Sho just hopes that their century-long friendship means something in this situation. Sho would not be able to fight Nino alongside the council and the entire human population, he just could not.

“Ok. Fine.” Ninomiya sighs, “But I have one condition. I want you to introduce me.”

“Nino-”

“I know you already denied Murao-san and I this, but this is just me. Think of it like this: Wouldn’t Matsumoto-san prefer to meet his stalker too? Would give him a peace of mind, don’t you think?”

Ninomiya has a point, and Sho ends up taking a deep breath and giving in. In spite of his growing attraction towards Jun, his friendship with Nino means the world to Sho, “Ok. But allow me some time to convince him first. Don’t just walk up to him one day after work, that will scare him out of his mind.”

“He’s a journalist, he’s seen a bit of everything.”

“That may be so, but I don’t want any of his colleagues to see it. Imagine what sort of rumours that will spread if they see him with a second vampire, in broad daylight in front of his office. Not your brightest idea, Nino.”

Ninomiya throws his head back and laughs, “I understand. Let’s go to Oh-chan’s place for coffee soon. All four of us.”

“Three.” Sho corrects.

“Four, including Oh-chan.”

Sho chuckles then, having forgotten the crush Ninomiya has on the barista at their favourite coffee shop, “That’s right. I believe, you haven’t seen him for a while.”

“I think he misses me.”

“Is that so.”

 

*

 

“I must apologize.” Is the first thing Sakurai’s voice tells him over the phone in the late evening after the initial greeting, and admittedly, it does not raise Jun’s spirits, “I have information on the one who has been stalking you. Tell me, after changing your route, did it help?”

It has only been a few days, since Jun told Sakurai about his problem, but he should have known that with Sakurai’s connections and knowledge it is likely a cakewalk to pinpoint the identity of Jun’s stalker. Jun still feels a deep unease at the way Sakurai opened this conversation, but decides to go along with the vampire’s usual mysterious way of explaining things for now,

“I didn’t feel a presence the first day, but this morning, I did as soon as I boarded the bus. To be honest, it felt even worse than in the train,” Because the train is bigger, with that much more people, and in the bus, Jun felt as though the shadow was breathing right down his neck, even though Jun had no idea how close it actually was. Could not have been more than a few metres, tops, “There was no one following me, when I went home, but I did leave the office earlier than usual.”

It is 9 pm., and Jun has been working on his laptop at home since 4, way earlier than he usually allows himself to leave the office. But after the incident on the morning bus, he dared not take any chances, and excused himself to his boss by pretending he needed more peace and quiet and had to meet with an informant on the way home. Jun can count on one hand, the number of times he has lied to Kitagawa, and he hates having to do it, though rather that, than cause suspicion and betray Sakurai’s trust.

The vampire hums over the phone, seemingly in thought, “He won’t be bothering you again.”

Jun blinks, “What?”

“The stalker. You can feel safe, he is not going to follow you anymore, I promise.”

Just like that? “Wait, does that mean you know who it is?”

Sakurai falls silent on the other end, and Jun straightens his back further in the chair, furrowing his brows, “Which is it Sakurai? Who is it?” Caused by the mix of suspicion and relief, Jun’s question comes out an accusing snarl of sorts, and he immediately regrets it. Though he has no way of knowing how to take it back.

“There is someone I hope I can convince you to meet.”

Jun only grows more suspicious at Sakurai’s words. He has yet to see whether what Sakurai just promised him is true, and Sakurai has yet to tell him the identity of the stalker, and now the vampire wants Jun to meet one of his acquaintances? “You must be out of your mind.”

“I don’t believe I am,” Sakurai sighs, “Please, Matsumoto-kun. I believe it is rather important, and as a matter of fact, he is one of my most trusted allies and my closest friend. He is also the best person I know at gathering intel.”

“You know how suspicious this sounds, I hope?” Jun forces out between his teeth. Truth is, he wishes to trust Sakurai, but this sounds too much like a trap. A very well-made one. And to Jun, who has until recently been wary of Sakurai and still is of the rest of the vampire population, this scares him, because he can see the possibility of it all having been a plan Sakurai came up with from the very beginning to make Jun trust him. Only to have him willingly walk into an ambush.

If he meets with two powerful vampires at once, alone…

“If we meet at Akatsuki, will it be less suspicious to you?”

“No. Still surrounded by vampires. Sakurai-san…” Jun’s head falls, and he wonders if Sakurai knows how difficult this is for him. He is still frazzled and scared because of the stalker, he is not willing to risk anymore right now, “I need time to consider this. You cannot expect me to comply, with the risk of walking into a trap.”

“I thought we were past that stage.”

“I thought so too! But I can’t- I can’t bury this unease. At least, I need to see for myself that no one is following me any longer. You need to allow me some time.”

A moment’s pause, “To practice some more at the gun range?”

Jun’s breath gets stuck in his throat, eyes widening, “How do you know that?” It feels like his heart has stopped for a moment, his voice shaking. There is no way Sakurai could know unless… “I am going to hang up now. Don’t call me again.”

And Jun does just that, though he is left staring at the screen, Sakurai’s sudden, desperate ‘Wait-!’ cut off and resounding in Jun’s ears. He buries his face in his hands. What has he walked into? What now? Are they going to kill him for going along with Kamenashi today, of all days? Or will they kill him for offending Sakurai? Maybe Sakurai will do it himself.

There is a horrible twisting feeling in Jun’s stomach, as though it is turning in on itself, and suddenly, he finds it very hard to breathe, rasping and holding a hand over his wildly beating heart. This is all too much at the same time. It seems Jun’s boldness is coming back to bite his ass for risking so much for an article. Jun sometimes forgets how emotions control him much more than his rational sense, and it hurts to realise how affected he has become by Sakurai, despite Jun’s pretence that he is not.

He really should have known better.

-

Part of Jun is desperate to tell someone, desperate to have someone to ask for advice – is Jun assuming the right thing, should he continue to ignore Sakurai’s calls, did Jun make a mistake? In the past months, Jun has learned so much about vampires, yet he feels like he still knows nothing about Sakurai personally.

There is a rumour at the office, one Jun has had to listen to several times while he has been working on the vampire article, and now he starts to wonder whether it is true, and whether it would make his image of Sho better or worse.

He has never dared ask Sho, although it was that main question he had prepared for the pureblood, on that day where Sakurai convinced him to put more trust in him, where Jun promised he would do his best to write a great article that would invoke change, if only a little. Jun ponders upon now, what sort of reaction the question would have had. It certainly would have prevented recent events from taking place, because there is no way Sakurai would have met with Jun again after bringing up the speculations.

A cold chill runs down Jun’s spine when he imagines how Sakurai would have looked; eyes black obsidian, his tone ice, and Jun would have found himself in front of a predator, Sakurai no longer even looking like a living creature.

At Jun’s office they speculate that Sho was the one to murder his own father, for the power he held and for the position Sakurai Shun undoubtedly would never hand over to his son. With all that Jun has learned about pureblood vampires and their strength, the mystery of Sho’s father’s death becomes even more of a puzzle, and Sho killing him could be the answer to it. But Jun knows that no matter how Sho came to claim a seat in the council, he is fighting hard, has worked tediously, against all odds for the continuous collaboration and peace between humans and vampires, a peace that is collapsing around them. At least, that is what he has convinced Jun of.

Jun just cannot imagine Sho killing for power, no matter Jun’s current fear and anger at himself for blindly putting faith in the pureblood. Because deep down, Jun refuses to believe that trusting Sho was a mistake, most likely that part of him is his emotions speaking. Since there is no evidence for or against the belief, Jun cannot, at present, explain exactly why he wants to trust the vampire so badly.

He just… does.

 

*

 

“That’s quite a bottle of whiskey you’ve got there, Sho-chan. Drinking your sorrows away? You do know getting drunk is a feat only mortals can achieve.”

“I know.”

“And yet, you look like a broken-hearted man of a past century. What’s up? Wait, don’t tell me. I know. If not the vampire council…” Nino fake-gasps, “Wait, is it that journalist? What happened?”

Sho cannot help but throw Nino a piercing glare, “We messed up.”

“Wow. Not often we get to hear _you_ admit a mistake.”

“It’s your fault too, Nino. As a matter of fact, if you hadn’t gone behind my back-”

“Yes, yes. I get it, I am sorry, I did apologize. I assume your negotiations with him didn’t work out?”

Sho turns his glass around itself on his coaster, knowing exactly where he made a mistake. And only because he felt disappointed at the idea of Jun no longer trusting him, did his temper show its ugly face.

“He would have needed some time to consider it all, before meeting you, and I got impatient, said something I shouldn’t have,” Sho downs his glass, only feeling the burn of alcohol in his throat, never in his head, “Especially considering how frightened he currently is.”

Nino gives him a sympathetic look and reaches for the bottle of whiskey, then proceeds to walk around the counter to search for a glass of his own.

“In the cupboard.” Sho tells him.

“He’s just human, Sho-chan. You didn’t forget that, did you?” Nino says as he opens one of Sho’s mahogany cupboards to find a proper glass, “Humans misunderstand things all the time and make rash conclusions. I suspect it is because of their pride, which you,” with the same hand, he uses to hold his glass, Nino points at Sho, “-have plenty of too. Perhaps that’s the problem.”

“You should’ve heard the way his voice broke on the phone. Told me not to call him again, and I bet he is now scared out of his mind, questioning me.”

“Hm,” Nino sits down again and pours himself a generous amount of the copper liquid – Sho’s favourite go-to alcohol, perhaps because it goes so well with his other favourite liquid – before refilling Sho’s glass, “Just give him a reason not to feel scared then? I am sure a few days without me following him will improve his willingness to meet you again.”

“Perhaps it is for the better that I don’t put his life and career in further danger. It was selfish of me, to seek out his help to begin with. Even you know I started out with the idea of manipulating him for my own gain. I never considered his feelings, until I- well,”

“Got interested.” Ninomiya’s lips curl slowly, “He’s taught you quite a few things, hasn’t he? Oh, and then you found out he may be tasty too. Don’t worry, that happens to all of us.”

“Better not go that far.”

Sho hopes that Ninomiya will give up on the idea of Sho sinking his teeth into Jun. However much he wants to, Sho feels like neither he nor Jun deserves that. Given Jun’s wavering trust in him, it is far from a good idea to try and get closer to the human, with intentions of gaining more than just his trust and an article.

“Sho-chan.” Ninomiya no longer smiles when he grabs a firm hold of Sho’s shoulder, forcing him to look at him, and Sho finds all mirth gone from Ninomiya’s eyes, “You are a 432-year old pureblood, high-born vampire, and I can’t believe how few you’ve actually sunk your teeth into during your entire life. I bet I can count them on one hand, am I right?” Sho doesn’t answer and Nino shakes his head, “You’ve never taken a mate, nor even a proper lover, in all of your years. You do know that is more than rare, right? Its _unheard of_. Vampires your age all have mates. Yet, you’ve never taken one. I have never asked you, because I think it’s far too personal, and the answer lies so deeply ingrained in you, back from before I met you, and I still won’t ask, but _please_ , Sho-chan. Give yourself a second chance, just this once. Give yourself a chance to not be alone your entire, miserable, eternal life.” Nino’s hand on Sho’s shoulder is hesitant, but full of warmth and concern, “Maybe this guy isn’t whom you’ve just given me the impression he might be, and if that is the case, just dump him again. He only lives a few 60 years or so more anyway.”

When Sho’s heart gives a painful thump at Nino’s last words, he knows his friend is right. Sho has never been afraid to take chances in all other aspects of life except attraction, and although there is far from any love between Sho and Jun, there is interest and curiosity from Sho’s side. Something he has quite forgotten the meaning of.

“You are so used to humans looking at you with disgust, but here is someone whom – from what I gather from you – is very different. He is curious and bold. Oh, and gorgeous,” Nino announces the last part in a cheeky whisper and Sho cannot help but smile hesitantly. So, Nino has noticed too.

Hearing it all from Nino makes Sho change his mind, and he already starts considering how the hell he is going to make Jun want to trust him again. First off, he is going to give the journalist some time to calm down and return to normality, without waiting too long, because Sho cannot afford it if Jun decides that trusting Sho is not worth it.

Staring at his glass again, Sho wonders what Jun thinks about him, aside from Sho being a pureblood vampire with lots of useful knowledge and a big house and the skills to make a pot of green tea, “You’ll have to wait a bit before you can meet him personally.”

“I know, I know. And Sho-chan,” Nino empties his glass too, “I think I was being pushy too. Don’t let me so easily convince you again. I know I am charming, but don’t let it get to my head, that will just lessen my chances of hooking up with Oh-chan. Although, he is certain to fall for me either way.”

Sho chuckles, grateful for a change of subject, and he lets Ninomiya talk about his work and recent adventures in his Nintendo games, while Sho’s thoughts drift impatiently, offering him several ideas to convince Jun to let Sho contact him again, ideas that he instantly dismisses. There is still so much Sho does not know about Jun, and it is as though, now that he is no longer operating just to make the human write a good article, he is realising how curious he is about Matsumoto Jun, the human, not just Matsumoto Jun, the journalist.

 

*

 

Perhaps three days really is not allowing Jun enough space, perhaps – _surely_ – three days is not enough time to have the human calm down again. Yet, Sho does not want Jun to completely stop considering the conflict, to stop thinking about his article. Sho does not want to allow Jun the time to stop thinking about him.

He could have gone about it in a less obnoxious manner, but Sho knows Jun will not pick up if he tries to call, Jun will not reply to his messages and no way can Sho show up in front of Jun’s office building. So, it has to be like this, Sho tells himself, it is the only option he has, when he rings the doorbell of Jun’s apartment, having bypassed the main entrance with luck – and good planning – to charm an elderly lady to let him pass through the door just as she was opening it herself. He could have easily bumped into Jun on the street and made it look like a coincidence, but considering the issue which has started this mess, Sho ruled out that option as soon as it struck him.

There is a possibility that someone other than Jun will greet Sho at the door, since Jun lives with a roommate, and Sho has half-braced himself for that possibility. He knows nothing about Aiba Masaki aside from him being a local vet, so there is no way of knowing beforehand how to tackle the guy. With his connections, Sho could have learned everything there is to know about Aiba, from his personality to his family background, but Sho does not want to go about it that way. Not in this situation, because it concerns Jun, and he wants Jun’s trust; there is no way he can go about this in an underhanded manner.

When the door opens, Sho does indeed find himself face to face – or, face to half a face – with someone he does not recognize, and the same goes for the voice accompanying the man.

“Who are you? You did not ring the main doorbell.”

“A kind old lady let me in,” Sho explains, trying to gauge this person, who has only opened the door a crack to peep out, either suspicious or just plain strange. Or both, “I err, I am looking for Matsumoto Jun.”

Understanding fills the one visible eye of the stranger, and Sho knows he is at a disadvantage in the negotiation most likely to begin now. It throws him off. Usually, Sho holds all the cards and is never at a disadvantage. Why does it have to be so different, so hard, when it comes to Jun?

“You’re that vampire,” Aiba says and finally opens the door wider, only to stand in the middle of it, blocking Sho’s vision and protecting the inside of the apartment, “What do you want? I swear if you’ve come to hurt Jun, I’ll… I’ll punch you.”

Anxious and visibly a little scared as the man is, Sho cannot take his threat seriously, and he cannot help a soft smile, “Don’t worry, I’ve just come to talk to him. I didn’t know he had such a protective friend. That’s very important in this day and age.” Despite Aiba’s offensiveness, Sho really is surprised in the most positive way. Knowing there is a guy like Aiba Masaki who would stand in the way of others’ passage to Jun puts Sho’s mind at ease. If Sho can somehow give Aiba his number, if anything should happen to Jun, Aiba can call him…

Aiba still appears sceptical though, “I don’t think he wants to see you. He’s been… really scared, you know.”

As Sho is about to reply, Jun’s voice sounds from inside the apartment, “It’s ok, Aiba-kun. Just go back to the living room, I’ll take care of it. And I won’t be long.”

Once Aiba moves out of the way with a short bow and surprisingly honest eyes directed at Sho, and Jun takes his place, Sho kind of wishes he could go back to dealing with Aiba.

“So, what do you want?” Jun sounds cold, his arms crossed in a self-protective manner, and there is spite in his eyes, as opposed to Aiba’s. However, Jun’s voice betrays him; it is not as strong as he probably wants it to be.

There is a saying that hell has no fury like a woman scorned, but in this case, Sho believes nothing beats the terror of Matsumoto Jun when he feels scorned. Jun’s eyes show anger and fright, like a startled animal, but also slight hope and willingness to listen, which gives Sho the courage to attempt to bypass the offended barrier first. To be honest, the display of Jun’s furrowed brow accompanied by the man wearing a loose printed T-shirt that is a few sizes too big, showcasing the top of his collarbones, and over-sized sweatpants and slippers make Sho feel even more enticed, he cannot help but smile. Jun really is like no one Sho has met before.

“Have you come to laugh at me?” Jun croaks, and Sho acts fast just as Jun moves to close the door in his face.

Sho grabs the door, knowing there is no way Jun’s strength can hold it open against him, “Wait, please. I am not laughing at you. It’s- it’s good to see you again, Matsumoto-kun.” As the fury just seems to further rise in Jun’s eyes, Sho reckons that may not have been the best thing to say, “I think I really messed up last time we spoke, and I was hoping we could talk?”

“No more talking.”

“Just let me explain myself then? I let myself get influenced by someone close to me, instead of choosing my words according to what I have learned about you so far.” Sho tries to pry the door open further and finds Jun’s resolve wavering, which gives him courage to continue, “Listen, have anyone been following you recently?”

Searching Jun’s eyes, while Jun hesitates, Sho unfortunately finds what he expected; hurt and distrust, but when Jun speaks next his voice reveals a chance for Sho to remove those emotions, “No. It’s been fine.”

Sho attempts a relieved smile, “I’m glad to hear that. I should have told you from the beginning but,” Shifting on his feet, Sho looks around just to make sure no one is listening in on this, now that Jun shows no wish to let Sho inside, leaving him standing awkwardly in the hallway, “I met with your stalker,” Jun’s eyes widen, “And it turned out to be my best friend. _Before_ you close the door on me, I’ll have you know it was a misunderstanding, and he did it thinking he was protecting me. I never wished for him to do something that would scare you or potentially harm you. Please believe me when I say, I have done what I could to keep you safe, I didn’t want to miss the chance of you trusting me.”

“Didn’t?”

“Don’t. I still want us to trust each other.”

Jun deliberately avoids Sho’s glance, throwing his eyes down, and Sho is scared that the human is trying to come up with an excuse not to meet with Sho anymore, so in what can only be described as desperation, Sho continues, first in a humorous tone:

“Honestly, I am surprised you noticed Ninomiya’s presence, he is usually a master at avoiding detection. He must’ve been slacking off,” when it does not have the desired effect, Sho sighs, “Wouldn’t Aiba-san have done the same for you? He is clearly protective of you, and because he does not know me, even more so. It is the same with Ninomiya. He’s not a pureblood, but that does not make him less suspicious of humans. He’s never met you, and thinking I was being naïve and manipulated, he went and acted on his own. I am truly sorry.” At these words, Sho goes ahead and bows to Jun.

If anyone from the council should see him now, Sho would be in big trouble. A pureblood bowing to a human like this goes against all unspoken rules and would compromise the pride of the high-born vampires. So, Sho just hopes no one is ever going to see him do this, and hopefully Jun will not speak of it to anyone either. Sho hopes that Jun understands enough about vampires to know how much Sho is baring himself to Jun; not just showing up in front of a human’s apartment but going as far as to apologize and bow to him. Sho’s father would have had a seizure, had he been alive and had it actually been possible for a vampire to have a seizure.

Jun is still not looking at him, and Sho slowly begins to lose hope. Pulling a little at his jacket, Sho reaches into his inside pocket to find a small card; his final resolve and something that could turn out both ways, if Jun decides to give Sho a second chance.

“I won’t blame you if you decide that this is where it ends, Matsumoto-kun, but,” Jun luckily looks up when Sho offers him the small, golden card with black ink, and Sho gets what could potentially be a final look at Jun’s beautiful caramel-coloured eyes, “Should you still possess some of that recklessness and curiosity, I took interest in you for, show up at this event. And I will show you first-hand what it means to be a pureblood vampire.”

Understandably, Jun’s scent spikes with shock and immense curiosity, when he takes the card from Sho, and Sho inhales, letting himself hope for another meeting with the human who has shown such potential and caught Sho’s interest from the beginning.

“I truly hope to see you there.” With that, Sho bows again and turns to leave.

In all of Sho’s life, only a few has refused him the curtesy of inviting him inside their house, and most of them have never lived long thereafter, with the one exception of Sho’s lifelong friend.

 

-

 

What he handed Jun was an invitation to a party Sho is hosting next month. And it is not just any party. While Sho does enjoy leading a group, and while he does enjoy hosting, he rarely throws parties. But upholding a tradition of the Sakurai name sends proper signals to the council and serves as a reminder to the middle- and lower-class vampires of who holds influence and control in the community. For Sho, the power display is a two-edged sword. While the thought of class difference will not do in the long run in a modern society, it is necessary to maintain status quo and prevent vampire attacks on humans. That is what makes the pureblood vampires so important. And it is why Sho keeps hosting parties at the Sakurai mansion two times a year. The guests have all been invited specifically from the higher class of vampires, the majority purebloods, with a few exceptions of people who have been conspicuous or people Sho has invited personally. Most will bring a partner or a couple of guests, whom all have been approved, and even some particular requests to join have also been received from some humans who know what happens at these parties.

But before the party, Sho has a lot of work scheduled to occupy his mind, and he finds the capture and arrival of the rampant lesser vampire to be a perfect distraction from thinking about whether or not Jun will show up at Sho’s invitation. Continuous pondering will just make Sho anxious and impatient.

The criminal vampire has been taken to the basement level below the council building for Sho, Okada and two of Okada’s subordinates to work on him as soon as they finish agreeing on what to do with him. It seems Okada is finally starting to get some info out of the creator of the rampant vampire too, although it took more time than the initially presumed two days to make the vampire crack. Sho is taking the stairs down two steps at a time, impatient to quench his curiosity at who this guy is and why he acted as he did, as well as witness the condition of the rampant vampire, who has been kept in human custody for way too long. The mere fact that he is not dead yet... Given how severe the situation is, the negotiation process long and tedious with the human council, Sho is relieved and excited to put the whole case behind him, although such a thing is never quite possible. Humans have short lives, and thus never quite forget cases like this one, often bringing them up at times convenient for them to set an example and have their way; altogether another case of how differently humans and vampires think, in this case because of their differing life spans.

The light down here is dim and gloomy, the entire basement made of concrete painted white to make it a little lighter, given the lack of windows. If there was no regular cleaning down here, it would probably end up looking something akin to an illegal research centre or something from old horror movies, with its claustrophobic atmosphere and stench of iron and fear. Truth is though, the place has been used as an underground saferoom for vampires during World War II, but maybe that only adds to sending chills down anyone’s spine – the memories associated with the hallways; the panic still staining the walls. Every sound created down here becomes muffled, sucked into the structure of the walls, like Sho’s footsteps on concrete or the small polite greetings he exchanges with the few wardens he passes on his way down to the isolated rooms for the interrogation. Any vampire convicted of a crime is brought here before his judgement. The vampire society has no court system, and the council sets the rules, alongside the small force of undercover vampires acting as the law’s arm in the real world with Okada in control.

Sho will be the first person to hear what Okada’s team has learned throughout the interrogations, and the rest of the council does not yet know of Sho’s presence here. It will not be a surprise to the other council members once they find out though, they have learned through the years that the cooperation between Sho and Okada is more than merely a friendship. With Okada’s strength and brusque force, he obtains the information that Sho, with his calm, strategic mind decides what to with, and rarely do the others oppose the two of them.

A loud yelling can be heard as soon as Sho gets near the designated interrogation room, but it does not sound like the average crazed accusations or pleas for mercy, it sounds rather passionate, if anything, like a bad politician announcing his stand-points.

“Sakurai-san, we’ve been expecting you.”

One of Okada’s men greets him as soon as Sho opens the door to the almost completely dark room; the closed-off side of the interrogation room, where the watchers take in everything from behind a fake mirror, the room only lit up by computer screens and glowing buttons.

“Shigeaki-san, its been a while. Have you been busy?”

The young vampire smiles at Sho’s interest and nods, “Its been a tough week, to be honest. Up until now, he has refused to say much, and now he will not shut up,” When Shigeaki gestures towards the glass in invitation, the two of them move closer and Sho finds Okada half-sitting on the table while conversing with a vampire who looks out of breath and dead-tired, but aside from that appears rather normal. Not a crazed person, then, “He does not seem to be lying, but Okada-san insisted we get your input as well. If it is as it seems, Okada-san is guessing this may be the key to why the conflict has escalated recently. But you should talk to him about it.”

Sho remains standing in front of the glass while Shigeaki calls Okada over the receiver, “Okada-san, Sakurai-san is here.”

“I’ll be back.” Okada announces to the vampire before he gets up.

Sho’s eyes remain on the captured vampire even as Okada leaves the room. The male vampire is pale, with brown hair that falls into his eyes and a cracked lip, which must be recent, or it would have healed by now. Unless there is another reason why the tiny wound will not heal. He is bound with his arms behind the chair, and Sho thinks the first thing he is going to do if he is allowed to speak with the vampire, is to untie him. He does not look dangerous, and really, what other crime did he commit but turn another vampire, who went rampant? Sho is curious to know his story.

“Sakurai-kun, glad you could make it.” Okada looks exhausted too, but there is that glow to his skin, Sho has seen a few times after a successful interrogation.

“I hear you’ve had success with him.”

“Certainly. The rampant vampire is kept further down the hall, by the way. He is…” Okada trails off, avoiding Sho’s eyes.

“Not doing well?”

Shaking his head, Okada sighs in resignation, “They did not treat him well, Sakurai-kun. He might have been an animal out of control, but now he is just broken. I would keep my expectations low with that one.”

It makes Sho sad to hear about the fate which has befallen the rampant vampire. He may have killed innocent humans, but he did not sign up for this fate, and only three months ago, he too was a human, assaulted on the street, never to return to family, his friends, his old life. Deciding not to let that train of thought drag down his mood and mind, Sho pushes the thoughts out of his head. No use dwelling on what is past. He is here to make an attempt to change the future, to stop what seems to be looming over all of them.

“Before I go in, is there anything I should know?”

Shrugging, Okada turns to face the glass, “He is pretty calm right now, but he can get passionate. He seems to believe what he is doing is creating an army to bring salvation to the vampire race against the humans who want to destroy us. Or something along those lines. You’re the master manipulator, Sakurai, you’ll know if he speaks the truth and how deep this goes. And you’ll be the one to decide if he dies like a lunatic or a patriotic individual.”

The words put a bad taste in Sho’s mouth. Okada makes it sound like war, and it reminds Sho of how affected Okada still is by his days as a samurai; he doubts Okada could ever part with that side of himself.

He decides not to comment on Okada’s choice of words and merely nods, “Alright, I’ll be going in then. Have yourself a snack or a cup of coffee, you deserve a break.” Sho puts a hand on Okada’s shoulder as the other vampire smiles thankfully and moves towards the fridge in the corner.

Sho recalls when he had to do this for the first time, his father testing out various things on Sho to see where his potential lay, in which area he could be an asset to the other vampires. Back then, it had been a little girl, innocent-looking, with short hair tied up with a few pins, and Sho remembers being convinced there was no way a girl like this could have attacked a human. But then Sho, no more than a teenager at that time really, had started questioning her, and when she one moment would not speak, only to fly towards him in pure, crazed rage the next, Sho learned, one cannot always believe what they see, eyes can be deceived. When Sho got out of there alive, in one piece, his father had smiled crookedly, and Sho learned that he was good at bringing out monsters, under the right circumstances. Since then, Sho’s father had made Sho participate in every interrogation taking place at the council, as if that would make Sho a better vampire. So many times, Sho had rebelled, and yet his father was untouchable. Only after his death did Sho feel as if he alone owned himself, to make his own decisions and judgements.

Sho had found so many of his father’s methods wrong; when Shun was in power, everything was about class, about how each person could be of use, and Sho had disagreed with almost everything. Yet, there was order at his father’s time. Perhaps it was a coincidence and times generally were better then, but Sho cannot help but wonder if a hand like his father’s makes society better, than Sho ever could.

“Yasuda-san?” Sho asks when he enters the room, isolated as it seems from this side, and it makes the vampire look up, “You’ve been here quite a while, haven’t you?”

“I have. Won’t you let me out soon? I have nothing more to tell.”

Sho is untying the robes from behind the chair, ignoring Okada’s question in his earbud of whether such a move is safe. And the vampire himself does appear confused, yet Sho merely takes place in the chair opposite him to study his haunted face, “That may be so.”

There are bluish eyebags under his eyes, indicating a major lack of nutrition, he looks withdrawn, however still there is fire in his eyes, energy, Sho cannot determine the source of, and his voice has a tinge of power to it as well. This is not a vampire who feels guilty, nor is it a vampire who feels cornered, which really, he is.

“I have been told, your reason for biting and turning an innocent human on the street is because you wish to ‘build an army’? Is that correct?”

“You’re Sakurai-san, aren’t you? Are you gonna hypnotize me?”

“There’s no use hypnotizing you when I want the truth,” Sho raises an eyebrow expectantly and watches the vampire swallow, glance now betraying a hint of fear.

“We have to fight back,” he explains, not looking at Sho, “Against the humans.”

“You do know turning an innocent like that without permission is against the law, don’t you?”

“Of course, I know! But you half-assed purebloods won’t do anything!”

Sho clearly hit a nerve, but remains totally still and calm in his seat when the vampire starts waving his hands around, yelling, and when it does not prompt a reaction, he sits back down, for Sho to continue, “Half-assed purebloods? You mean the council.”

“Yes.”

“What makes you say, we have to fight against the humans?”

“Because they’re building an army! Don’t you see? They want to kill us all! Eradicate the vampire race to make earth theirs alone! They’ve always been like this! I don’t want us all to die like cattle! So, some of us are building an army, even if it means letting loose fresh vampires to fight for us.”

As Sho raises a hand, the vampire falls silent, and Sho ponders upon his words, “What makes you say the council is doing nothing? We got your rampant vampire back from the humans, and that was no easy task to accomplish, thanks to you. My associates spent days negotiating his release, and he was innocent, he likely had nothing to do with the ongoing conflict.”

“Negotiating…” the vampire trails off, as if tasting the word, and Sho narrows his eyes when he notices the vampire’s hand is shaking, “All you do is _negotiate_. We are out there fighting for our lives, _every day_ , and you purebloods keep on preaching about keeping the civilians safe. But you get _nowhere_! With just talk, the humans make you dance in their palms. We are doing something! _We are fighting!_ You should too! With all that power you have, you could destroy the humans. Like they destroy us! Hell, Sakurai-san, you alone could take down an army, and we wouldn’t need to break the law and make more vampires.”

“Enough.” Sho’s snarl makes the vampire freeze in his seat, “I have lived alongside humans for 432 years, and so far, we’ve worked fine. I agree, it’s not easy right now, since most humans these days do not understand us. But we have quite a few rotten apples in our society too. So, don’t go generalizing the entire human population. You may only know the one in Japan.”

“So, you’re gonna sit there on your ass and ask me to do the same?!”

“You know that’s not how you speak to a pureblood-”

“I don’t care about races, I don’t care about class. I care about protecting my family, my friends, my community! And if that means burning down every human city, turn innocent humans into weapons and suck dry every woman and child, I would gladly do it! That’s _survival_ , Sakurai.”

Anger and frustration makes Sho’s fangs sink down over his bottom teeth, and he shows them when he hisses aggressively at the vampire in front of him, standing up to watch the vampire snap his mouth shut and shrink in the chair, displaying vulnerability and submissiveness towards the dark dominance Sho lets out in waves towards him.

“We’re better than that,” Sho snarls, eyes flashing red, “War is the human way, Yasuda-san. You should know better than anyone, with that self-assured way you spout those disgusting words. Humans are as much cattle as we are. Turn them all into lesser vampires and we’ll get civil war. You have no right to preach when you’ve lived less than 50 years as a vampire. If you only have useless suggestions, we are done here, and I can tell you, it’s people like you who make the goal of a better future so damn _impossible_.”

Sho heads towards the door resolutely, regret and pain at seeing what vampires in his society are turning into because of this damn conflict, making a mess of his head, and his instincts are quickly going into overdrive. The smell of pine needles and lemon play tricks on his mind, and his fangs sink further into his bottom lip to draw out blood when a set of big, expressive eyes flash through his mind. A phantom sensation of thick, dark blood rushing over his tongue and down his throat makes a deep rumble rise in his throat, without his control.

“Wait! Am I- am I going to die?”

Sho pauses in front of the door, “You are. But you’re not a lunatic, Yasuda-san,” Sho does not look back at him, afraid he would tear him apart if he did, “Don’t worry, your honor will remain, as tattered as it is.”

When Sho leaves, he flies past the office, knowing Okada will understand. He saw everything that happened after all, and when Sho rushes through the corridors, he searches for a place to be alone and rein in his temper and the control that is through his fingers.

 

-

 

“I am sorry about this.”

Okada’s hand is on his shoulder, but Sho just waves his hand dismissively, “Not your fault.”

“No, but I know how you feel about this. The rest of the council-idiots though,” Okada points his thumb backwards, “They don’t. And if they did, they’d probably be worse. I am afraid you’re not going to like today’s discussion and vote. Seems some of them have made plans behind our backs, they’ve got it in for you.”

Sho has not entered the council room, yet from the corner of his eye, he sees Akanishi sneering in his direction, sees Takizawa whispering in Domoto’s ear and Mizukawa sending Sho a worried glance. Only self-restraint keeps Sho from baring his fangs at them all, his instincts to dominate making his veins feel like they are on fire. Today is not a good day to get on his bad side, but whether it will turn out to be a bad day for Sho or his rivals is a question, Sho is not prepared to test the answer of, hence why he fights to keep himself in check.

“Easy there, your eyes are ablaze, Sakurai,” despite the warning, Okada chuckles, knowing he is the only one in the room Sho would have a hard time tobbling.

Sho grins, fang catching on the soft skin of his lip, “I really wish I didn’t have to deal with vampires this early in the morning.”

“Can’t argue with you there. Unfortunately, it’s part of the job.”

Okada trails behind him when Sho walks in, the two of them bringing information gained from the interrogations. Though, the second interrogation Sho did had been nothing more than a quick visit, with nothing to gain from that encounter.

After Sho cooled down, he went to see the rampant vampire. But that visit only brought him misery at the sight of a creature that was equal parts broken vampire and broken human. Betrayal by both races had left clear effects on the male, who hung his head, eyes empty and barely breathing, as though he was deliberately trying to force his body to give up on life. Sho has seen a sight like that only rarely through his years of life, and each time hurts as much as the last. No one should be tortured and left behind like that. Sho would not even wish it for his worst enemy.

With the way Akanishi Jin is showing Sho his puny little fangs though, Sho would love to twist his neck and see his eyes darken. Gnats like Jin should be left in the children’s room.

“Oh, look, it’s the friend of humans. You think he’s gonna bring us a snack at some point? These meetings can get so tedious.”

“Shut up, Jin.” Sho is exhausted and drained and has not got it in him to be pretend-polite.

“What’s wrong? Not getting any? Oh wait, you’re never getting any.”

 _… Really?_ Sho does not even reward that one with a reply.

“Cut it out, Akanishi-san. Let’s try to be civil here.”

Mizukawa seems to have had enough of the young vampire as well, and after her reply everyone has filled into the room, and Jin is given no time to respond, before Murao stands up from his seat to Sho’s left side.

“I will be in charge of schedule today,” he announces, “We’re are here to discuss the punishment of Yasuda-san as well as the human he turned into a lesser vampire, Yukimura-san. Now, it has come to light that this man is in fact a member of the same Yukimura family who lost another member recently, a male vampire named Goro, who may have been attacked and killed by a group of human males. We have no proof, but we are still investigating. One of your subordinates is working on it, I hear, Okada-san?” Okada nods, and Murao continues, “According to Yasuda-san, he did not target Yukimura-san specifically, but there still seems to be a connection between the two Yukimura’s and the reason why Goro-san – the husband of our now widowed vampire – was targeted. Sakurai-san, if you could tell us what the interrogation of Yasuda-san revealed?”

Sho knew he, and not Okada, would be called out to talk about this matter. Still after his father’s death, Sho carries the legacy of the Sakurai family, as interrogator and main manipulator, even though Okada and his men do most of the legwork.

“Okada-san and his subordinate, Shigaeaki-san worked him over quite a few times before I got to him,” Sho admits as he stands up, knowing the info falls on deaf ears, “And what we all agreed on is that Yasuda-san is not a lunatic, there is nothing wrong with his mind aside from his patriotic tendencies. In my opinion, he has been deeply affected by the ongoing conflict and this generation of humans, and he strongly believes we should create an army to fight the humans. And because we – the council – are not doing such, he took it upon himself to turn humans into vampire soldiers. He just either didn’t consider or had no knowledge of the fact that the thinner the blood of the creator, the more rampant and out of control the new vampire will be. There was no way Yasuda-san could ever have used Yukimura-san for anything, aside from a weapon of mass destruction.”

“So, let’s execute them both and be done with it.” Takizawa suggests, using that voice of authority, he thinks works. Though not the most provocative, this vampire has always gunned for Sho’s seat in the council, due to the endless rivalry between his family and the Sakurais. Sho thinks it is a ridiculous feud, but it is difficult, if not impossible, to stop the flow of rivalry and battle for honour through generations, especially when each individual lives for so many years.

“They will get their punishment,” Sho assures him, “yet we need to figure out how to make them an example in a more educating way, instead of just making them examples of what we do to those who break the rules. I think we should try to show lesser vampires exactly why we have these rules. The mere fact that we punish the two vampires as the human council wishes, should prove enough of a point towards the humans, satisfying them easily.”

“Every vampire should be smart enough by now to know why we have these rules!”

“A lesser vampire can be as young as a day old, dumbass.” Mizukawa snaps back at Domoto and sends him a deadly glare through narrowed eyes.

“Our job also includes making sure the society understands where we are coming from, and why we act as we do,” Murao-san tries to reason, “We are here not for our own sake, but for the sake of our race and that includes everyone, even a day-old newly turned vampire.”

Sho is just about to sit down, figuring he has said what he came here to say, when Takizawa speaks up again, “Well, I am sure you can figure out a way then, Sakurai-san. If anyone can, isn’t it you?”

“I think we should all contribute to the solu-”

“You know humans better than any of us. Surely, you can make even the lessest of vampires understand,” Domoto adds, and Sho sneers when he notices the satisfied expression on the vampire’s face.

It seems Sho is not allowed peace even when he sits down, and really, he cannot imagine why anyone would think he killed his father for this position. Sure, Sho wants what is best for the vampire society, but is he not giving enough already?

“You’re saying you want me to be the one to execute them.” Sho lets his voice be dark, threatening as he stares at Takizawa, who, despite paling a little, does not back down.

“Yes. Exactly. If anyone is capable of execution, it’s you. And the Sakurai family is famous for their skill in shutting off your emotions, aren’t you?”

Sho cannot argue with that, when generations have carved this reputation in stone many years ahead of him, and he has been taught the art of it since he was born. With no mother to soften his father’s methods, Sho can convince no one that his emotions have not hardened.

“You can’t be serious.” Okada slams his fist on the table so all cups jump without tumbling over. Quite a feat actually.

The outburst gets Okada nowhere except earning Sho’s gratitude, and Takizawa smirks right before Murao stands up.

“I must agree with Takizawa-san. And this will be a good way to show us your good faith, Sakurai-san. With all that’s happened recently.”

Fury and betrayal blooms in Sho’s chest, knowing Murao is doing this exactly because he disapproves of Sho meeting up with Jun, the elder vampire simply refusing to see the deeper meaning behind Sho’s actions. Clearly affected by his friendship and long-standing alliance with Sho’s father, Murao seems to become more and more disappointed as the years pass, whether caused by Sho’s actions or his general personality, is hard to be sure of, but Sho’s mentality and standpoint are distinctively different from his father’s.

“I’ll provide all the support and intel you need,” Okada offers helpfully, face grim at having failed to get Sho out of this.

“I have a friend in the media, who would know how to handle the distribution to our audience,” Mizukawa offers, and Sho clearly sees the disapproval in her face at how the result of the discussion has fallen out, “she has a great deal of experience and would be an ideal person to consult on the best method to convey our intentions, so the execution won’t just look like slaughter.”

It is clear who remain Sho’s allies in this room and in the vampire society overall, and Sho mentally notes down whom to watch out for in the upcoming months, and especially in the weekend at the party. He needs to do everything within his might to protect Jun. If he falls, he wants to avoid dragging Jun down with him. However, what will essentially determine the outcome will be Jun’s actions and response to the party, whichever way he reacts will signal the goodwill – or the opposite – of the humans, and Sho will bear the shame, should Jun fail to be what Sho is hoping he is. It all comes down to Jun’s development, the change within him and whether Sho has done enough for them to survive this ordeal and meet again.

 

*

 

It has been five days since Sakurai Sho showed up at the door to Jun’s apartment and handed him a golden card to some sort of special vampire party that the pureblood himself is hosting. And while Jun knows any sane and still-sceptical person would throw out the card and put the whole ordeal behind them, Jun also recognizes that he is far from similar to other people in that regard. There is no way he can get himself to throw the card away, even if he was close to, the same evening Sakurai gave it to him, his hand hovering above the bin as he stared at the address, recognisable because he was there, when Sakurai served him tea and vowed to find the stalker, and he indirectly told Jun to stay safe. No matter how betrayed Jun feels, he cannot forget Sakurai’s face when he told him that, he cannot forget his words and how he came to pick Jun up minutes after Jun called him, in whatever frazzled state it was Jun was in.

And those contradicting feelings of wanting to believe, but not daring to without advice, sends Jun to end up at Akatsuki, seated on one of the barstools in front of the counter as he watches a small man with an impassive face grind coffee beans and polish the coffee machines while the quiet settles on the otherwise empty shop. The barista is wearing a deep blue apron with a few brown stains from carrying wet coffee paste to the trashcan, and his face is almost equally brown, tanned from what would seem like hours in the sun.

Jun is sipping a strong aromatic coffee with a chocolaty aftertaste, and its deep smell does nothing to stop Jun from thinking of a certain vampire and his cologne. It is not often that Jun is allowed reprieve like this, so he takes his time to sink into the chair, leaning casually across the counter with his arm bent at an odd angle, before he decides to address the barista.

“You wouldn’t happen to be Ohno-san, would you?”

The man looks up, eyes not hostile but rather sleepy, as though Jun just broke off his daydreaming, “I am.”

Jun cannot help but smile. His quiet behaviour seems as warm as the café, “I’ve been here a few times already, but it would seem it’s the first time I have the chance to meet you. You make amazing coffee here.”

“Thank you, I am glad you like it.”

“Sakurai-san recommended the place.” That makes Ohno raise his eyebrows, “Said for anyone interested in coffee, this is the place to go.”

“I serve both vampires and humans though,” Ohno explains and returns to wiping off a set of blue and white coffee cups.

“I like that you do. I mean-” Jun stops himself before he ends up blabbering before thinking, “The city could use more places like this, where there is no such thing as racial division.”

Ohno hums and continues his work on the cups without offering more of a reply, and Jun realises he will likely not get any. Might as well get to the point then, instead of attempting small-talk with someone who clearly has no idea how to.

Jun clears his throat, “Actually, I needed to talk to you about Sakurai-san.”

The man in front of him spends a couple of minutes finishing his business, wiping the table and refilling the coffee beans in one of the machines to give Jun an impression of casualness, although Jun noticed the way his shoulders stiffened at the vampire’s name, clearly reacting even if he wants Jun to believe otherwise. Finally, he stands right in front of Jun, actually looking as though Jun now has his full attention,

“I’m not going to tell you anything about his private life if that’s what you’re after. I know you’re a journalist. And I won’t listen to criticism about him.” Jun had suspected the two of them to be acquaintances in some way, but Ohno’s protective behaviour surprises him, and its even more surprising that Jun is happy about it, especially considering how Jun is supposed to be all suspicious of Sakurai right now.

“Please don’t misunderstand, Ohno-san,” Jun straightens in his seat, hoping Ohno is not of a suspicious nature himself, “How do I put this, I need your guidance on something. Since you seem to have known Sakurai-san for a while?”

As Ohno regards Jun relatively impassively, Jun realises he needs to elaborate, “If you know, I am a journalist, you must also know that I have been meeting with him here a few times for interviews. And during those interviews, we’ve… become closer, of sorts,” Jun avoids Ohno’s gaze now and lightly scratches his nose, “But I have always been wary of vampires, perhaps even scared of them. So, I don’t know, can I trust him?”

Jun prays Ohno will understand his anxiousness, now that Jun just told Ohno something Jun has barely told anyone, not even Aiba. It is one thing knowing it, another thing is admitting it out loud, but there is something about Ohno’s calm, yet seemingly attentive nature, that made Jun spill those words, wanting for the barista to _understand_. But just as Ohno puts his forearms down on the counter to lean closer to Jun, looking like he is about to let Jun in on some major secret, the door opens behind Jun, making the bell chime and Ohno straighten up.

“Oh, it’s you.”

A small man with ebony spiky hair, and a sharp jaw is making his way straight to the counter, hardly looking at Jun when he places his palms on the dark wood and grins at Ohno. He looks ready to climb over to the other side of the bar any minute.

“Oh-chan, it’s been a while. Did you miss me?”

“It hasn’t been that long since you were here.”

“It’s been a week!” the small man pouts, moving to take off his brown jacket and sit down right next to Jun. Which seems rather odd, when there are 5 other empty seats to choose from, “You only missed my money, huh.”

The barista does not reply, and Jun tries to ignore this really odd exchange happening beside him by taking quite a big gulp of coffee, letting the bitter taste distract him for the moment. He really wants to know what Ohno was about to tell him a moment ago, but there is no way he can discuss this with the other patron in the room, especially if he is a regular. The sudden thought makes Jun pause with the cup halfway to his mouth, eyes flickering quickly to the man beside him who is asking Ohno for ‘the usual’. If this guy is a regular, he is aware of the opinion Ohno has of vampires and humans, that both races are welcome here, and does not mind. What is he himself? If he is a vampire, he must know Sakurai comes here too, and is there a possibility that he has seen Jun with the pureblood? Of course, the chances of this person being a vampire, and a council member at that are slim, but Jun cannot imagine any vampire in Japan not knowing what Sakurai Sho looks like, and seeing him with a human journalist – perhaps even more than once – is bound to raise questions.

Jun is drawing himself into a dark hole of suspicion and anxiety, and all of a sudden, he feels the need to rush with his coffee, throwing his head backwards to drain the remainder of the cup. There is no reason for him to stay longer than necessary, when someone else is here, and he likely will not get an answer to his questions tonight, so better leave and come back when he has gathered his wits. If possible, before Jun runs out of time.

But when he puts his cup back down on the counter, eyes are boring into the side of his face, his neighbour suddenly much too close for comfort with his body turned towards Jun and his elbow resting very close to Jun’s own, his gaze clearly trying to catch Jun’s.

“You really are even prettier up close.”

The set of bright amber eyes are intelligent, sharp, and a recognisable chill runs down Jun’s spine. _No way._

Sakurai was supposed to have gotten rid of him. As fear envelops Jun in its cold, sweaty grip, anger takes hold too, and Jun is ready to yell at the man beside him for not only stalking him, but having the audacity to fucking go and confront Jun. Jun cannot figure out if this guy is throwing more shit at Jun or at Sakurai, making this move. Wasn’t he supposed to be Sakurai’s _best friend_?

Ninomiya throws up his hands, palms forward and draws his head back as if burned, but he is smirking against Jun’s growl.

“What do you want? Have you followed me here? You’re still stalking me, aren’t you? I knew I shouldn’t have trusted him.” Even as he says it, Jun feels his heart breaking all over again, but it seems more painful this time, now that his suspicions have been proven right. Man, he really should try and listen more to his brain than his heart. Jun moves to get up then, nodding at Ohno who is watching him with unreadable eyes, “Thanks for the coffee.”

“Wait. Hey. Hey!”

When he feels a hand by his elbow, clearly this Ninomiya guy trying to stop him, Jun is a breath away from using the momentum to turn around and slam his fist nicely against Ninomiya’s jaw. And honestly, knowing Jun’s impulsiveness, it is a miracle he finds room in his brain to consider that violence most certainly would not put him in Ohno’s good favour, and without Ohno, Jun is left alone to worry about making the right choice with Sakurai. So instead he points threateningly at Ninomiya when he turns, hoping his glare is enough to make his stalker at least a little bit nervous, but there is no way of knowing with a person who is capable of both stalking and backstabbing, “Don’t you _dare_ touch me.”

“Please take it easy,” The man tries again, having quit his pretend-relaxed behaviour and is now standing in front of Jun, eyes pleading. Not really the eyes of a mad stalker. However, with his pale skin and the way his irises spark, Jun is certain he has the eyes of a vampire, “I didn’t mean to scare you. I am here because of Sho-san.”

Jun tries to remain indifferent, “If you were doing anything for him, shouldn’t you be staying away from me? That’s what he promised you’d agreed on.”

“Well, yes, I should. But that was before I messed up. Please, Matsumoto-san, hear me out, just give me 30 seconds.”

30 seconds is not much, and Jun wonders if the man is being confident or naïve, requesting only half a minute. But perhaps it is the humble request that makes Jun sit back down, to raise his brow at Ninomiya in cold expectation, although his treacherous heart jumps in hopes of an upcoming explanation that reveals some kind of deeper meaning behind everything and offer a reason why Jun should see Sakurai again.

“I was the one requesting that I meet you officially,” Ninomiya starts, and Jun’s eyes flicker behind the counter when Ohno mumbles something about brewing some more coffee, “When I agreed to stop watching you, I made Sho-chan promise that you and I would get introduced and that mucked things up. But while Sho-chan clearly trusts you, I don’t and that is the exact reason why I kept my eyes on you while you were at work to begin with, making sure you were not planning anything behind his back while he was being such an idiot and filling you in on things, he really should’ve kept a secret.” Everything rushes out of Ninomiya’s mouth as though it has been bottled up for a while, and Jun suspects that maybe Ninomiya overestimated his ability to explain everything in the span of only 30 seconds, “He is risking his life, his reputation, everything, every time he meets with you, and there was no way I could sit idly by. Matsumoto-san, if you understand _anything_ , you know there is no way I could let my best friend lose everything to a human just because he hopes for a better world. Although, to be fair, I was very close to backing off, when he confronted me about my actions. Man, I should hope for you, you never get to witness his anger.”

That reoccurring image of black eyes and protruding fangs flash before Jun’s eyes. Sakurai is an immensely powerful pureblood vampire, and Jun has no trouble imagining what fury looks like on him.

Ninomiya continues, though those 30 seconds must have passed, and Jun makes no move to stop him. Even if the vampire had not stated it firmly himself, it is clear that Sakurai means a lot to him, it is evident in the way he talks about Sakurai; that the two of them are very close, and Jun does understand Ninomiya’s inclination to protect Sakurai, he really does. Hell, he would have done the same for Shun or Toma, even Aiba.

“Sho-kun is sometimes too darn quick at trusting his gut for the greater good, despite his more than decent brain. And paired with his stubbornness, he makes for quite an idiotic force to be reckoned with. Just thought you should know, since, you know, he’s interested in you. May be smart to keep in mind before you jump into it.”

“Into what?”

It pulls a little at the corner of Ninomiya’s lip as though he is withholding a smirk, “Whatever it is you two have going on.”

The vampire certainly does not refer to just the cooperation and information-sharing between Sakurai and Jun, and at the realisation that Ninomiya knows more than Jun has comprehended himself, Jun feels his cheeks grow hot, “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

Now Ninomiya is most certainly smirking, “Whatever.”

Jun lets all those words sink in before he heaves a deep sigh, “And why are you here now then? Since you obviously don’t trust me, what is your aim? Shouldn’t you just leave the pieces as they fell? I would.”

“Because Sho-chan cares about you.” _Sho-chan_. Jun is having a hard time putting together the image of the stoic Sakurai Sho with the nickname Ninomiya keeps calling him by. “He cares about you and the plans you and he share. No way I’d forgive myself if I went and sabotaged something that really could’ve changed society as we know it, rotten as it is.”

“How did he know about the gun range?”

Where Jun thought Ninomiya would be surprised at the question, he barely bats an eye, “I told him. Ah, that’s what did it huh? Ruined things and left them as they are, with you asking Oh-chan for advice. Let me give you a tip,” Ninomiya leans forward again and this time, Jun forgets to move back, “Don’t ask this old man for advice. Great listener, sure, but a horrible talker. You won’t get anything out of him.”

Despite how Ninomiya just called the barista old – a joke in itself when Ninomiya must be older – and mildly insulted him, Jun hears Ohno chuckle quietly, and when he flits his gaze Ohno’s way, he finds Ohno’s calm face with his eyes wrinkled up in mirth and white teeth showing, humoured as he is. Jun may not notice, but the scene he is bearing witness to is bringing him closer to both of these men, his initial stiffness greatly softening into warmth in his chest.

“Anyway, when I saw you walk into that gun range with another young human, I panicked, and that does not happen often,” Ninomiya admits, “There’s no way you could ever kill Sho-chan, but you trying would break his heart, and I could not risk that, so I told him about it. He must’ve blurted that out in his panic at some point, that’s just like him.”

Ninomiya’s words sends Jun’s heart skipping a beat. He had not realised that he meant that much to Sakurai, but judging from Ninomiya’s words, Sakurai has bet more than his reputation on Jun’s actions.

“I only went for pretence,” Jun let’s his heart tell the truth, “I used to go a lot with Kamenashi-san, my colleague, but I couldn’t stay very long this time. It felt wrong, especially since Kame does it while… Well, he has a different agenda than I. I just want to be able to protect myself. No matter how much I trust Sakurai-san, or anyone else for that matter, I never want to be powerless against someone who wants to kill me. And with the added risk due to my meetings with Sakurai-san, there’s even more reason to keep training. Refusing Kame’s invitation all of a sudden would only raise the suspicions of my colleagues who are already raising their eyebrows at me.”

“You know,” Ninomiya sips at his black coffee, and Jun thinks of how Sakurai prefers it the same way, “Sho-chan is in quite a lot of trouble too, with the council.” Ninomiya’s golden eyes become distant when he sighs and seems to sort of melt down over the counter underneath his arms, and Jun’s stomach tells him he is not going to like what comes next, “They’ve made him executioner now. Well, technically, it’s always been the role of the Sakurai family. Sho-chan’s father, Sakurai Shun-san, was very good at playing both highly admired and feared interrogator and executioner, hell, he seemed like he really enjoyed torturing others. And while Sho-chan _does_ like to make people squirm-” Ninomiya sends Jun a crooked grin at this, “I know how much he hates having this kind of power over people. He is so responsible and diligent, Matsumoto-kun.”

Ninomiya sighs again, and Jun is honesty a little surprised at how suddenly the vampire seems to have opened his heart to Jun. Perhaps he is giving Jun something in return for his honesty regarding the gun practice, but part of Jun senses that Ninomiya has stored this information and this worry inside himself for far too long, that now that someone is listening, regardless of who Jun is, Ninomiya cannot stop his mouth from moving.

“Of course, he did not tell me anything about it directly, but it’s all over the news in the media – our media – that the creator of the rampant vampire is to be executed. I know Sho-chan went and interrogated him, but I haven’t spoken with him since, so I sense something severe is going on. And I just wouldn’t put it past the council to pull a stunt like this to punish him.”

“Punish him?”

Ninomiya gives Jun a wry smile, “For his wish to respect the humans, I suspect, and for differing from his father’s ideals. Half of the council believe Sho-chan is plotting some kind of take-over of god-knows-what, I don’t even think they’ve thought about the details themselves, and the other half are very sceptical about his goals; they’re probably certain he is going to fail, and only indulge him because they respect and fear him.”

It is shocking, but interesting, for Jun to finally learn how things work on Sakurai’s end. The pureblood has told Jun very little about what kind of trouble he faces with the vampire society, while Jun and he are secretly trying to build bridges between two groups that are very reluctant to understand each other. Jun knows, since he is faced with it every day, what kind of risk he takes and the dwindling faith his boss has in him, but he has had no way of guessing the trouble Sakurai seems to find himself in; small things that keep adding to the pile. There must be a limit, regardless of how powerful the Sakurai name is. Sho cannot keep doing this, especially if no one else in the council believes in this plan.

“Does he have no allies?”

“Why, he has me,” Ninomiya’s smile falters though, “But unfortunately, I have no voice in the council. I would put my money on two others out of the nine council members, who support Sho-kun, not because of his name, but because of him as a person. There was one more, quite a respected vampire, who’s even older than Sho-kun, but I fear he is losing patience, as he grows to realise that Sho-kun is nothing like his father in quite a few aspects.”

An old ally of Sakurai’s father then. Not necessarily a good thing. From Jun’s experience, failing to live up to expectations left by parents or predecessors, will often turn old allies to new enemies and powerful ones at that. If Sakurai is currently facing that kind of opposition, Jun needs to do what he can to help. He is the one who put Sakurai in this position, without even considering the consequences it would bring Sakurai. Jun feels angry and disappointed in himself.

“Sho-chan fights for his ideals, selfless in many of his actions, and he is stubborn as hell, and unorthodox, which of course really rubs many of the council members the wrong way. He still is a traditionalist, adhering to the known dynamics between humans and vampires though, in the more ‘animalistic’ aspect, if you know what I mean.” Jun narrows his eyes and tries to meet Ninomiya’s shimmering stare, full of teasing, with an unimpressed one of his own. Hopefully, Ninomiya’s blood is not pure enough for him to smell a lie, “He is old, after all, and knows who should show him respect.”

Well, from the get go, Jun really was not very good at abiding by those rules, was he? The Jun of today wonders if he messed things up for himself on those first meetings, but then again, Sakurai did contact him afterwards, and Jun is currently having a conversation with his best friend, who talks to make Jun understand Sakurai better, and potentially convince Jun to go to that party in two weeks. Ninomiya just has not made his conclusion, yet, Jun knows exactly what it will be.

“Hey Oh-chan, have you got any of your melon pan left?”

A minute later, two soft and fresh-looking melon breads appear before Ninomiya and Jun, each on a blue plate, and Ohno mumbles something incoherent that Jun only catches onto after turning the words around in his head, “On the house,” The barista really does not talk much.

“I knew you cared about me,” Ninomiya beams, even when Ohno does not look at him, having returned to his coffee machine, now working on brewing something that smells suspiciously of chocolate. If Jun did not know any better, he would say Ohno really does like Ninomiya more than he shows, because underneath the tan, Jun notices a red tinge to the top of his ears. He wonders if Ninomiya has caught on too.

A moment passes where the two patrons bite into the food, Jun doing so although he rarely partakes in calorie-heavy foods this late in the evening, past dinner, but he figures he can visit the gym in the morning. And the taste is worth it as it fills his mouth in a soft, but definitely alluring way.

“Good, right?”

Jun nods and hums in appreciation when he takes another mouthful of coffee, the two complementing each other very well.

Ninomiya pokes at his half-eaten bread with two fingers then, spending a moment before he seems to finally get to the main reason why he showed up in the café to seek out Jun in the first place, “So, are you going to show up for Sho-chan’s party?”

He knew it would come, yet apparently, Jun was unprepared for the question. Maybe he thought Ninomiya would be more indirect, although he has already gotten the impression, through just this talk, that Ninomiya is not the subtle type. Jun is still wavering, and now that Ohno apparently is not a good source of advice, he throws his uncertainly at Ninomiya.

“Should I?”

Unexpected understanding shows in Ninomiya’s eyes when Jun looks into them, and a silent moment of mutual insecurity seems to pass through them and away, as if Jun’s short question meant everything to the future relationship between him and Ninomiya.

“He’d want you to. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have shown up at your door with that ridiculous golden card in hand,” Ninomiya suggests with a shrug, “But what do _you_ think is his motivation? Because I am quite certain he’d never go through so much trouble to keep a hold on just any journalist.”

Jun lets the implications of Ninomiya’s words sink in. Either Ninomiya knows something that Jun does not – which is highly likely given that he is supposed to be Sakurai’s close friend and potentially someone Sakurai confides in – or he is making his statements bolder to sway Jun. Either way, Jun decides this is not the end of it, despite his stalker showing up in his face to scare the living daylights out of Jun.

With both coffee and bread gone in front of him, Jun senses this conversation and admittedly rather interesting meeting move towards its end.

“Ninomiya-san,” his curiosity takes over for the moment, to allow Jun to divert his thoughts away from what to do with Sakurai for just another moment, “how old are you?”

The small vampire throws his head back in a laugh that Jun finds as surprising as it is contagious, “Are you gonna interview me too? Quote me on my answer?”

Sakurai has clearly told Ninomiya about the interviews, though Jun knows – or he wants to be sure – that Sakurai has not given Ninomiya all the details. Jun asking for Sho’s age was the very first question during the first interview after all.

“No, my report will only be about Sakurai-san, sorry if you expected a moment of fame yourself,” Jun smirks, and it actually feels good to mess a little with the vampire in front of him. If he gets the chance, Jun will make sure to do it again; there is a lot he needs to pay Ninomiya back for. Jun can feel himself warming up to Ninomiya slowly, for some reason believing in his motivation and his affection for Sakurai, “I’m merely curious about what sort of company Sakurai-san keeps.”

“Oh? Well, I can assure you, he’s very much single. In fact,” Ninomiya’s grin widens as Jun feels his neck bloom bright red, “He’s been single for way too long, in my opinion. He keeps very limited company.”

“I was curious about _you_.”

Ninomiya laughs again, and Jun rolls his eyes, more in amusement than annoyance. Jun has most definitely found his match in Ninomiya who is as good at avoiding questions as he is at throwing intelligent little remarks and clues.

“Well, if that’s just it, Mr. Genius Journalist, I won’t mind sharing. I am but a young bachelor of 131 years, a child compared to Sho-chan. And more than open to any kind of relationship.” The last part Ninomiya almost yells towards Ohno as he spins towards him on his chair, but Ohno brushes it off easily by reaching both hands over the counter.

A brimming-full indigo-coloured mug is placed on the table next to its brother in front of them.

“Have some mocha.”

“Oh-chan! You do lo-”

“And then please go home.”

“Are you sure? I’d happily stay and protect you through the night.”

“I’m plenty strong myself.”

Ninomiya swirls back to face Jun, “I am telling you, he likes me.”

“I’m sure.”

“You know, MatsuJun,” This nickname thing is clearly a quirk of Ninomiya’s, and Jun does not have the heart to deny him right after Ohno brushed off his flirting like it was nothing, “I was most definitely wrong about you. Sho-chan has once again proven that he has a brain behind his instincts,” that wink _must_ have been Jun’s imagination, “I am sorry, alright? Please give Sho-chan another chance, I know he would do the same for you.”

The sincerity in Ninomiya’s voice overrules any potential suspicion Jun could have had left about whether Ninomiya is messing with him or not. Jun is aware of how quickly he can sometimes become emotionally invested in others, yet he cannot overlook the fact that Ninomiya just apologized to him, when the vampire really seems to have had trouble getting the words out – not because he did not want to, but because it is against his nature. And Jun can see it, because apologizing can sometimes be difficult for him too, especially under circumstances where he really messed up.

Jun smiles tentatively, “Thank you. You know, I am glad to have met you Ninomiya-san, despite the less than optimal circumstances. I’ve learned much about Sakurai-san today too, through you. He’s not as untouchable and all powerful as he appears.”

“Yet, _he is_ quite untouchable and almighty.”

When Ninomiya chuckles, Jun allows himself to laugh too, feeling relieved and happy. No matter the outcome of this whole ordeal, at least something good has come out of it, and Jun will not refuse himself the small reprieve from all the stress and fear that has been building up since the day he met Sakurai and ultimately made a deal that seems to be changing Jun incrementally.

-

Though it is incredible in itself that Jun went from frightened and angry to half-trustful of Ninomiya, there is still a chance that everything he told Jun about Sakurai – things only someone very close to the pureblood could know – is all a story he made up to get closer to Jun. Given Jun’s job, he is automatically sceptical of any source and looks for at least a second one to back the first up. So, the following morning after mentally preparing himself in the shower, he texts Sakurai.

**Jun**

_Are you in trouble with the council?_

Jun honestly imagines Sakurai to be surprised at Jun’s sudden initiation of contact, especially with a question like the one he asked, but of course, that does not show in the reply Jun receives barely 15 minutes later.

**Sakurai**

_Not in trouble, no. Not yet._  
But I do believe they are starting to conspire against me.  
Why are you asking? I guess me having less power in the council would make me less attractive as an informant to you.

**Jun**

_Expect me at the party._

Maybe Sakurai is being purposefully provocative with his sharp words, or he is worried and lashes out to guard himself against an upcoming sting, to make it less painful. Either way, Jun is rather unaffected by the words, actually it has the opposite effect on him, and causes him to decide on the spot that he wants to see Sakurai. They must both know that by now, it is no longer about the article. The conversations they have shared and those they have not, should have taught Sakurai that Jun would never turn on him for a reason as dumb as Sakurai facing trouble with the vampire council. Especially because any other journalist would have cut all contact and abandoned ship, cowardly and selfish as they are.

Fresh confidence pours over Jun like a bucket of cold water, and he is suddenly impatient to find a fitting suit to wear for a party he knows next to nothing about. There are things he wants to prove to Sakurai, at least that is what Jun tells himself, while deep down, he knows he wants to show up not to gather intel, but to support Sakurai and be there. Just _be_ there.


	2. Chapter 2

Time passes too slowly and too fast in the days leading up to the party, while Jun probably spends more time than necessary searching for a suit, getting a haircut and working out. He works hard in front of his laptop to prove himself to his boss who occasionally comes by his desk to inquire about the vampire article, only to be handed another article to distract him every time. Jun knows he must have caught on by now, but hopefully he believes that Jun is just having a hard time writing it, despite how Jun has never worked this long on an article before. Nor should he, so Jun vows to finish the article after the party.

It is Saturday evening and dark despite the mild temperature, when Jun finds himself in front of the Sakurai mansion again, watching the way the lights from inside drives away the darkness that seems to be encasing the house, trying to swallow it whole, but kept at bay. For a time. Surrounding the house, pink sakura trees are in full bloom, the leaves fluttering in the wind when it grabs the branches and gives them a frisky shake. Someone has taken specific care to place small lanterns by the tree roots to illuminate the trunks, and those same lanterns are also surrounding the driveway, making the stones glow something akin to golden. It is beautiful, and Jun allows himself some time to gather courage and dwell in the beauty of the scenery before he walks into what is undoubtedly a vampire’s nest, potentially to find him as the single sheep amongst lions. It is quiet out here, the silence only disturbed by the faint sound of jazz coming from inside, so the walls must be thick. It is no surprise, now that Jun thinks about it, since vampires keep to the darkness, remaining secretive. That would probably not work out if they became known for playing loud music into the early hours of morning. Such a different world from the one he lives in, and yet he has been invited to set foot inside, to have a peak of a world that exists so close to his own, yet is so far out of reach. Given his curiosity, there is no way Jun can pass up such a chance.

As he finally steps towards the front door, he reminds the journalist part of himself to remain as objective as possible, in that this is not how everyone in the vampire society lives. This is for those at the top, the rich and the famous, the powerful. After all those conversations with Sakurai, Jun has close to forgotten who Sakurai actually is, and what he represents; a realisation he comes to just as he hands a guard by the door the golden card Sakurai gave him, and the door is opened. The guard is definitely a vampire, his skin pale, his face strong, but he remains impassive, only making Jun a little bit uncomfortable with how his eyes undoubtedly runs over Jun when Jun walks past him.

The door closes again behind him with a faint click, but Jun is frozen at the doorstep.

The grand hall is filled with people, a band at the centre of it, playing live music, and the tables are neatly decorated and arranged with various beverages and delicious-looking food, the mood is set high, yet Jun has never felt more alone and more claustrophobic than he does now. He has been in the house before, yet that experience was so vastly different, that the room feels entirely alien and like nothing Jun could ever have imagined he would find himself in. Everything looks like it is shimmering, in the light of several chandeliers and candles lining the walls and sitting on every window sill. It is almost too bright, yet the mood is intense and dark, giving Jun the idea that there are no rules present here, that people act on instinct and lust. Jun is not sure whether his senses tell him this or if he is simply forcing his impression of the highly erotic vampires to be reflected onto what he _thinks_ he is witnessing here. He does not yet understand half of it, and he is fighting hard to convince himself not to make the wrong assumptions from the get go.

But this is wrong. All his senses are telling him – no screaming at him – that this is wrong, and the heavy odour in the air, above the smell of fresh air from a window and that of various fish and strong miso, makes a chill run down Jun’s spine. The chill is a result of something so deeply ingrained in Jun, an instinct like that of a hunted animal, telling Jun to turn this very moment and find his escape. To survive. Jun cannot place the smell, it is heavy and sharp in an organic way, but Jun wonders if his senses are playing tricks on him, because it feels both so faint, yet strong at the same time.

In his state of shock, Jun did not initially notice, but a few vampires have turned to stare at him, one by a table with champagne – yet what is in his glass is thick and red, almost black – and a couple by the wide staircase ahead of him, the male with his arm wrapped possessively around the female’s waist.

The human part of Jun that is essentially prey shivers, and he has to focus hard not to turn and walk out, if not run. Pretending not to notice the eyes on him, his gaze moves along the groups of people, some standing against the walls, some sitting with one on top of the other making out or... Jun’s breath catches in his throat when he spots a male vampire kissing the soft, fragile neck of a female. Fingers play with her hair and Jun’s eyes are incrementally widening, heart pounding in anticipation of when the male’s shining fangs are going to appear and pierce through skin.

And that is when he notices. Not everyone here are vampires. They cannot be. What Jun has learned about pureblood vampires are that their complexion and eyes can look completely like a human’s, and yet when he looks into the eyes of a few females, in the arms of male or even female vampires, they do not make Jun feel cold in the same way as the eyes of a vampire would. Some animalistic part of him does not react to them. Additionally, none of the vampires here approach him, none of them stare at him like he just trespassed, and they ought to know that Jun is nothing like them, even if his suit is expensive, his watch equally so and his demeanour a lot less insecure, than he could have been, if not for his outfit. Even though he squares his shoulders and does not look down, Jun can feel the self-consciousness run through his veins like parasites stuck to every blood cell. It slows his brain down and makes his movements stiff, despite how much he tries to fight it, because he was invited, so he should belong here. In a way. Right?

 

It has been long enough, awkwardness now stabbing at Jun like needless, so he starts searching with his eyes to find Sakurai in the crowd, initially without success. There are just so many people, and the host must surely be too deep in conversation with someone to notice Jun. But then it is as though Sakurai lights up like a flare, his dark red cummerbund standing out in the crowd and making Jun’s gaze zero in on the rest of him in a split-second.

With the black, fly-fronted tuxedo coat, its asymmetric tail, a black dress shirt and matching bowtie and cummerbund, Sakurai is _gorgeous_ , and Jun cannot take his eyes off of him. He looks every part the luxurious pureblood vampire that he is, wearing a charming smile while he entertains his guests, one hand casually resting in his pocket. His confident stance and the carisma radiating off of him lets everyone know that playing host is like a second skin to him, besides his many other talents, yet his dark eyes are strong and vigilant, and even from this distance Jun senses that nothing would get past his attention. Jun gets the sense that should anyone behave differently than Sakurai wants them to, there is no stopping the consequences he will evoke on them, his strength incomparable.

Their eyes finally meet, and in this moment when Sakurai notices him, Jun suddenly realises that by coming here, he has overstepped some line between them, a line Jun put there himself. While Sakurai was the one to invite him, Jun was the one to accept, and by showing up in a suit worth three months of his salary for him to stand awkwardly by himself until Sakurai finally sees him, Jun has unknowingly sent a signal, he is only now realising may change things drastically.

Though it takes a minute or so for Sakurai to excuse himself from the conversation – all the while with his eyes constantly flickering towards Jun who is still nailed to the spot, not able to tear his eyes from the way Sakurai’s suit is so perfectly tailored to his body, subtly outlining firm pectorals and strong arms, not to mention amazing legs – the time seems to pass in a blink before Sakurai is standing before Jun, who is quite possibly killing himself, because he is forgetting how to breathe.

“You came. I didn’t know whether it was too much to hope for.” Sakurai smiles genuinely, and Jun catches a whiff of his cologne; bitter chocolate, leather and bergamot, and though Sakurai is standing no closer than he has done before, Jun feels as though the vampire might as well have been whispering directly into his ear, “You look good.”

Some strange warmth is making Jun’s body shiver involuntarily and his fingers twitch to reach out for the vampire in front of him, yet Jun prides himself with having self-control and remains unnaturally stiff, to fight back urges that seem to have been brought forth by the atmosphere, by Sakurai’s looks, by the anticipation leading up to this evening and all the stress Jun went through to feel like he could at least fit in a little. Yeah, so much for that.

His own suit is entirely black, the material of the jacket reflecting the light, and the top button of his shirt is opened. As per Ninomiya’s suggestion, Jun chose to look both formal and casual with his bangs swept elegantly to the side like he once did it for a company party. And looking around, Jun is indeed glad he chose to go tie-less. People are elegantly dressed in more than plain black-tie outfits.

“I spoke with Ninomiya.” Jun declares, grounding himself in Sakurai’s surprised expression.

“Wh- how?”

“He came to me actually, and we… talked. He’s the one who convinced me to show up tonight, though I wonder if it was a mistake.” Jun gnaws on his bottom lip when his eyes flicker to the couple on a chair nearby. A shot of electricity seems to run down his spine when he notices the way the male’s lips are glued to the female’s neck, mouth open in what is most definitely feeding.

“Why?” Now Sakurai is undoubtedly closer to Jun, who for some reason does not step back, but finds himself captivated by Sakurai’s blackening eyes.

“Because it seems to me like I’d fit better amongst the meat on the buffet table than here on the floor with you.”

Instead of taking Jun’s words in a light way as Jun suspected, Sakurai’s stare narrows suddenly, and in that moment, it is as though everything around Jun crams down to just the two of them; Jun can only see Sakurai and hear his words like a siren’s song, “No. I wouldn’t let you leave my side. No one here is going to touch you.”

Jun feels breathless, yet snarks back anyway, “Are you sure I’m not going to end up on someone’s lap like that?” he points at the couple to the left, but Sakurai does not even spare them a glance, instead something flashes in his eyes, a spark that matches the colour of his cummerbund, yet it is gone so fast that Jun is sure it was a trick of the light.

“Let me show you around, Matsumoto-kun.”

When Sakurai turns, Jun feels his hand spread out briefly at the small of Jun’s back, and Jun stiffens. The gesture is foreign, strange, yet not unwanted, but it is fleeting, and Jun does not allow himself to imagine that he misses the weight of it when it falls away. They make their way slowly through the crowd for Jun to take in all these new, intimidating impressions, now no longer alone and anxious.

“So, I need to thank Ninomiya for your presence?” Sakurai asks, his breath ghosting across Jun’s skin, when he leans in to be heard over the music.

“Given the way he showed up out of the blue right next to me at Ohno-san’s café, you’d near have to thank him for scaring me away from vampires forever.”

Now Sakurai chuckles, and it makes the air feel a little lighter, which makes it possible for Jun to breathe naturally at least for a few seconds. Sakurai shakes his head, “Ninomiya has some rather unconventional methods, and I really should try and teach him some tact, though I honestly don’t think he wants to. It’s his way of doing things. I’m relieved it didn’t have the opposite effect this time though, I bet him showing up right in front of you must’ve left you quite frightened.”

“Frightened.” Jun looks down and remembers exactly how he felt, when he realised whom Ninomiya was, “And angry. I didn’t think my stalker would have the audacity to show up right in front of me like that. And I honestly thought he’d also betrayed your trust, he was supposed to be your best friend, so I couldn’t decide if I was angrier for myself or for you. Turns out he was actually there without your knowledge for your sake, because he was worried about you, and…” Jun is just about to say _us_ , “our plans for the article I’m working on.”

Sakurai seems to be studying Jun’s face when Jun looks back up, and Jun both likes and dislikes what he perceives in the vampire’s eyes, “When it comes down to it, he’s a really good guy, despite how suspicious he gets of people. But that all stems from his childhood and how he became a vampire, you can hardly blame him. I wonder too, in this day and age, if doubt in other people isn’t actually a practical thing.” The vampire smiles wryly, and something deep within Jun feels sorry for him. 432 years of life must make every day feel draining, when wars are fought.

At that point, they pass by the couple Jun spotted before, now unabashedly making out, the female with a mark left by her throat, and perhaps Sakurai notices Jun’s raised eyebrow because he chuckles, “I am surprised you haven’t fled yet, to be honest. When I handed you the invitation, I knew you were going to witness what is most likely the subject of your nightmares or something.”

Sakurai smiles apologetically, but Jun cannot let him say something like that, making it seem as though Jun walked into one of those nightmares. Though he does feel uncomfortable, the feeling is falling away the longer they talk, and the longer Sakurai remains by Jun’s side. To add to it, during the past months, Jun’s image of vampires _has_ changed a lot; he is not the person he was before he met Sakurai.

“Not my nightmares, no,” he accepts a glass of champagne, “Now, I trust you just handed me something that doesn’t poison me.”

“Not unless Crémant de Bourgogne is not your thing.”

“Show-off,”

Sakurai is grinning when Jun takes a sip of the drink, pretending not to take notice of the fact that Sakurai is not drinking, “Good, right?”

“It’s very good.”

“I am sorry for having you wait so long by yourself before, the couple I spoke to are not the easiest vampires to slip away from,” Sakurai guides Jun further into the crowd towards the staircase.

“I understand.”

“Do you feel better now?”

“What?”

Sakurai stops, and Jun notices that strong odour again, not knowing whether it is because it is more powerful in this spot, or whether he has been distracted until now into forgetting its presence.

“I could smell the discomfort on you,” Sakurai announces, and Jun swallows, “It seems to be fading now.”

Jun opens and closes his mouth a few times, not sure how to respond, “Yes, I- well, I feel a lot better being close to someone, I know. I mean, you did promise me no one is going to sink their teeth into me.”

There is that flash in Sakurai’s eyes again, and suddenly Jun feels dizzy from how he forgets to breathe near the pureblood and continues to inhale that sickening thick smell when he does.

“Yes…” Sakurai says, and his voice is lower, deeper somehow, “I did say that.”

If Sakurai could smell the discomfort on Jun, he must also be able to smell the slight fear now, perhaps he even knows how Jun feels both intimidated and something else, something the dominating part of him fights to supress and keep at bay, because now is not the time. Especially if Sakurai can smell it. And Jun really should not have come.

“Why are there so many humans here?” Jun manages to ask, though his voice sounds fragile even to his own ears.

Seemingly choosing to cut Jun some slack, Sakurai backs off a little and glances around, “They’ve either been invited by their vampire partners or have requested to be here.”

“Requested?”

“Yes,” Sakurai rests his hands in his pockets, and at least Jun knows he is not going to touch him for the time being, “Many humans live their entire lives wishing to experience a party like this – they want to feel what it means to be fed from.” Jun’s eyes snap to Sakurai’s, and he finds the vampire smiling nonchalantly, and it widens into a grin as he continues, “You do understand, don’t you? As a journalist you must’ve met many kinds of people. Just like vampires, humans have fantasies too.”

Of course, Jun knows that. Sex is a drive most humans have, along with differing fantasies, of course he knows that.

“Can I write that in the article?”

Sakurai barks out a laugh when Jun cheekily raises an eyebrow, yet he shakes his head, “Well, that is up to you, it certainly does put some things into perspective, doesn’t it? How some humans actively seek out the high-born vampires, not everyone fearing the creatures, “Ok, should you decide to add this to the report, let me explain some of the reasons why these humans come to us.”

First, Sakurai gestures to his right, to make Jun’s gaze turn in that direction to a group of people mid-discussion. There are four males and two females. One female is dressed very sophisticated whereas the second one is wearing a very short dress that shows a set of long, sun-tanned legs. As for the males, they are all wearing equally stunning suits except for one, who stands out in his bland black jacket and white shirt.

“Can you spot the humans?”

“I think I can. They stand out.”

Sakurai nods, “Correct. Those kinds are first-timers and possibly came here because some high-born, that I don’t know very well – thank god – took an interest in them. But while they are first-timers, they are most likely also one-timers, if you catch my meaning. They, and their evening vampire partners will likely not contact each other again afterwards, for differing reasons, which I will leave for you to figure out.”

Jun has a few ideas, excitement bubbling up in him as Sakurai’s crooked smile grows.

“Another type of human is the one you spotted before, with the male vampire. She’s his blood-companion. More of a lover than a girlfriend, and never a wife. Those two may stick together for a month or their whole lives, it comes down to circumstances.”

A companion. That is exactly what Jun wishes to never become, and the thought strikes him just now. He feels a little hot just as he catches himself before he delves deeper into that thought. Because if there was nothing about the idea of a vampire that attracted him, he would never even consider what he wants and does not want.

Pushing that thought away, he looks back at Sakurai with expectation, “And third?”

“Well,” Sakurai’s smile shrinks, and what remains looks almost sad, “The third kind usually doesn’t show up at parties like this one. They’re too important to their vampire counterparts.”

Jun furrows his brow, not really getting Sakurai’s meaning, yet suspecting that if he thinks hard enough, he will figure it out. But he does not know if he wants to, if that will just push him closer to something he is not ready to face.

“Are you hungry?” breaking the moment, Sakurai leads Jun to one of the tables with food, and again Sakurai’s hand is briefly at Jun’s back. This time, Jun really does wish it would linger a little longer.

 

The food is amazing – all small, modern appetizers that are easy to eat with one hand – and it is another revelation to Jun, when Sakurai explains how many vampires do indeed partake in food. Especially when Sakurai lets Jun know how much he himself enjoys eating even the simplest foods, Jun cannot help but ask Sakurai to elaborate, and they end up talking about the kinds of favourite foods they have in common – soba in particular – and which ones of them Jun can actually cook.

“We’ve only met at public places, and here you tell me you are a cook. You should’ve invited me inside, Matsumoto-kun.”

Jun laughs, “I’m not a cook, I like cooking. And it wasn’t exactly the best time to invite you in when you showed up at my door three weeks ago.”

“How about next time?”

Sakurai grins, and it is so cheeky and charming, that Jun cannot say no, answering without thinking about it, “We’ll see. Until then, I’ll remember your preferences. My fridge is almost always stocked, so it would be no trouble whipping something together.”

“You’re amazing.”

Jun laughs, but quickly sobers up when he notices the way the vampire’s eyes are resting on him, his expression unreadable. Something runs through Jun’s stomach, a trickling sensation that makes him feel all warm and comfortable, however curiously out of depth, and though the feeling is not foreign, it has been so long since he felt it, that in the moment he does not quite know what to do about it.

“It’s just food.” He ends up mumbling, embarrassed and avoiding Sakurai’s eyes.

“Which I happen to love, and I cannot make myself, so to me, you’re a genius.”

Jun looks at Sakurai through his eyelashes, “Aiba-kun cooks too, should you crave Chinese. His mabo tofu is a family recipe.”

“I’ll remember that,” Sakurai chuckles, and Jun notices the small wrinkles at the corner of his eyes. It is quite hard to take his eyes off Sho, when he laughs.

At that point, a beautiful woman approaches them, though it would be more accurate to say that she approaches Sakurai, with the way her eyes only seem to notice him. Her dress is a stunning deep blue, and it seems to be painted onto her curved body, while her big eyes and bold eyelashes are enhanced with curved eyeliner. She is the most elegantly beautiful, yet erotic, woman, Jun has ever seen.

“Sakurai-san. Beautiful party, as always. I look forward to it every time, and you never disappoint.”

“It’s my pleasure, Shibasaki-san. Thank you for attending this time too.”

The woman’s smile widens, “You are always so formal, I did tell you to call me Kou. And you know, I’d never miss a chance to see you.”

Jun really cannot help but raise an eyebrow at that comment, though it should not come as a surprise to him, that Sakurai has admirers. As a matter of fact, it is odd that the pureblood has no mate, he does not even appear to have a lover. Briefly glancing at him, Jun wonders why he has not bothered to ask Sakurai that question before. Vampires of his age mostly have mates, a partner for life – which mates become in the vampire society – and the detail would have been interesting to add to the article. Jun is curious, but there’s a painful gnawing in his stomach, when he considers what the answer might be.

Jun looks back to the female vampire, only to find her staring straight at him, her expression half-curious, half-annoyed.

“And is this… that journalist, you’ve been in contact with?”

It seems their secret is revealed, despite Sakurai’s efforts to keep the meetings with Jun a secret.

“It is.”

It is as impossible for Jun to read Sakurai as it is easy to read the female. Her eyes are cold and her voice a little resentful.

“Why bring him here? Does the rest of the council know?”

“I hardly think that concerns you, Shibasaki-san,” Sakurai’s voice is steady and calm, “I invited him, that’s all you need to know. And I do not think it is a bad idea to try and build some bridges between our world and his.”

“So, you’re still concerning yourself with that? You still believe our relationship with the humans can be mended? I must admit, I cannot understand your motivation, Sakurai-san. Why mingle with humans if not for feeding? Unless,” Jun feels his heart skip half a beat when she grins, and her fangs show, elongating as Jun watches, unable to look away, “You did bring him here as a snack.”

Annoyance flares in Jun, who takes half a step forward to retort and tell her off, but he freezes and nearly squeaks when an arm snakes around his waist, burning when Sakurai pulls Jun back and close to him, to press his nose against the side of Jun’s neck, effectively sealing up Jun’s windpipe. It is as loud as a drum in Jun’s ear when Sakurai inhales deeply, but the woman in front freezes up more so than Jun, eyes widening to look at Sakurai as though he is crazy.

“So, that’s how it is? Well, Sakurai-san,” her voice becomes more and more strained, less and less audible, “I should- you have a good night.” Her curtsy is cut short as she rushes to walk away, half-stumbling on the way, and Jun does not understand half of what went down. Though, she was clearly spooked by something, frightened beyond Jun’s comprehension. He wonders what Sakurai’s action means, what the female vampire saw on Sakurai’s face.

The vampire is gone, yet Sakurai has not moved away. Jun swallows against the feeling of Sakurai’s breath on his skin, lips gracing across his Adam’s Apple when Sakurai moves his head. Jun has forgotten everything about his anger, his insecurity and the annoyance at having to keep quiet for the sake of curtesy and tact.

“Um, could you… What is this about?”

“Just sending a message,” Sakurai mumbles, and his voice is so deep it raises comfortable little goose bumps on Jun’s skin.

“For how long?”

When Sakurai chuckles, it sends vibrations down to Jun’s collarbones, “You dislike it?”

“That is… Yes, yes, I do,” _wow, convincing_ , “I thought we established that you aren’t interested in feasting on my blood?”

“We did, huh? I suppose you’d hate that?”

Jun hurries to answer, because the presence of the pureblood this close is making him feel way too hot in his suit, “Of course! I don’t want to be one of these other humans; here to be blood donors.”

When Sakurai finally pulls away, Jun surprisingly feels too small for his body, empty, and the sensation is most alien and unwelcome. There is a soft smile on Sakurai’s face, a shimmering in his eyes, Jun has not seen before, and he cannot place the emotion behind it. Jun associates it with pride and affection and desire, all of those yet none of them at all.

“Don’t worry,” in his off-balanced state there is no way Jun has time to react before Sakurai has raised his hand and is stroking Jun’s neck softly with just the back of his finger. It is featherlight and gone so quickly, Jun would have been sure he imagined it, if it did not leave such a burning sting, “You’ll never be like them.”

In that moment, Jun realises he knows nothing of the pureblood’s current aim of inviting Jun here. What he does know, however, is that it is not the alcohol that is starting to make Jun slightly breathless and dizzy. His heart is beating wildly in his chest, and he really needs to put his glass down somewhere before he drops it, before he drops himself. He turns around only for a second to put the glass on a nearby table, but when he turns back, he stares straight into a predator’s eyes, Sakurai so close again that their chests almost touch. This time, Jun instinctively steps back, knowing this is suddenly going too fast for him, he needs to find his feet before Sakurai moves in again. But the vampire does not give him time at all, his hand flying up to grab Jun around his wrist, the grip powerful, not hurting, but promising Jun no escape. Jun feels opposition well up in him, especially knowing that in strength, Jun could never win against a pureblood vampire.

“Sakurai, I swear, let me go.”

“Are you going to cause a scene?”

What Sakurai’s sudden deal is, Jun’s brain is slow to catch up on, his body reacting faster as the blood rushes in his ears, “Get your bloody hands off.”

The vampire smirks, and Jun does not recognize this version of Sakurai, yet it is not the first time he sees him, and it takes him back to that very first meeting in Jun’s office building, “Bringing you here seems to have had some dire consequences.”

“And what of them?” Jun snaps.

“It seems just my presence beside you isn’t enough. Not for anyone, not for me.”

Jun’s mouth feels dry, yet not at all, for what Sakurai says is enough to make Jun’s balance tip even more. What if he were to push Jun over the edge? Sakurai leans forward and whispers, his breath ghosting across Jun’s ear and sending shivers through him. Jun is not afraid, that is not it. It is something else, “Please don’t cause a stir. Be good and follow me.”

“To where?” Jun challenges, ready to try and hold his ground.

“Away from the crowd.”

Jun does not get more of an answer, before Sakurai pulls lightly on his arm, and Jun knows he needs to follow if he does not want his arm ripped right off his shoulder. He is afraid to admit that he hopes and internally rejoices when Sakurai initiates contact again through the crowd, this time with his arm wrapped securely around Jun’s waist, whether to make sure he does not run off or to send more messages. Even though Jun feels partly controlled against his will, a heightened sense of security fills him when Sakurai is this close, and everyone moves out of the way for the pureblood. Despite his annoyance, he is thankful for Sakurai’s protective behaviour.

Past the main hall is a sitting room, where Jun feels like choking on the heavy, sweet smell, his stomach churning when he finds the sofa occupied by a pair of male vampires, with their mouths at each other’s throats, and his eyes catch a small trickle of blood as it runs down the throat of one of them. Luckily, Sakurai is leading Jun past them and through the room, but Jun cannot keep the slight panic from his voice,

“Where are we going? I’m starting to get a little suspicious here, Sakurai.”

“Haven’t you been suspicious from the beginning?”

Jun hesitates with his answer, majorly conflicted, “I have, but…” _But I felt safe with you. Until now,_ “I thought you’d be the one to protect me from the ones who’d think to steal me away. And look at you now.”

Sakurai throws his head back in a short laugh, “You really shouldn’t forget that I’m a vampire too. A creature you dislike very much.” The pureblood is grinning cheekily, only Jun cannot imagine Sakurai is happy about pointing out that fact about Jun.

A look into his eyes tells Jun that saying it out loud works more as a defence for Sakurai to not feel as hurt about it, and Jun knows, because he has seen the expression on Sakurai before. It makes him feel shameful, knowing he is to blame for hurting the pureblood. As if Sakurai is not facing enough trouble as it is, Jun has continued to give him a hard time. It hardly seems fair, and Jun wonders why he has not realised before now, that the only one who has done something to break the trust between them is himself.

His thoughts go back to what Ninomiya told him. About how the council has appointed Sakurai as the executioner of a criminal vampire. Honestly, how the pureblood can host a party at such a time is beyond Jun. But perhaps breaking habit would just show weakness or something; vampire democracy works in ways Jun has yet to learn about.

“You never told me about whether you’re in trouble with the council?”

“I told you it’s nothing, really.”

After they’ve walked through what feels like fifty rooms, Sakurai finally stops in something akin to a study; some bookshelves lining the walls, an open arch into a corridor, and a desk in the dimmest corner of the room. The mansion has to be about 800 square metres, and Jun wonders if Sakurai even uses half of it, while knowing for sure that his housekeepers must clean all of it, given Sakurai’s meticulous nature.

The sounds of the party are muffled in this room, they are closed off now, though still near the rest of the guests. Jun wonders how aristocratic vampires feel about their host leaving the party.

“I don’t believe you.” Sakurai lets go of Jun here, to stand in front of him and stare into Jun’s opposing eyes, “Why don’t you tell me what sort of trouble, I am putting you in? My article is not worth your job or your reputation or your life. You should’ve told me, and we should’ve stopped.”

Sakurai continues to stare at Jun, eyes seemingly searching for something in Jun’s gaze, and the longer he continues to remain silent, the more frustrated Jun feels. Up until Sakurai suddenly steps close, closer, backing Jun – who takes a step back every time – against one wall, between a set of bookshelves. His arms come up to rest on the wall on either side of Jun’s head, and Jun finds himself caged in and trapped.

Like this, Sakurai’s frame appears much wider and more threatening, regardless of how he and Jun are of equal height. Despite not touching Jun, Jun feels as though Sakurai is staring right through him, seeing everything of him, managing to strip him naked and discover all of those emotions, Jun has been trying to bury for the past month. Or maybe even longer. With Sakurai this close, his calm demeanour only disturbed by a burning in his black eyes, Jun feels worn out and exhausted, patience and control perhaps stretched as thin as the vampire in front of him. This creature in front of Jun is more than the calm and composed pureblood with sophisticated speech and aged eyes, he is the creature Jun has grown to feel safe with, the one who chased down Jun’s stalker and went through a great deal of trouble to convince Jun to see him again, yet also someone completely different. Someone Jun has seen in mere flashes, especially after he called Sakurai, and the vampire threw everything to come and pick Jun up. Something changed that day, for the both of them, it seems.

Jun cannot look away from the vampire’s eyes, his entire body stiff despite the warmth emanating from where Sakurai’s chest is a mere inch from touching Jun’s. It is difficult to swallow, and Jun cannot decide what he wants more; to escape or to stay right here.

“Are you-” Jun’s voice cracks and he swallows, “Is this hypnosis?” It cannot be natural how Sakurai’s eyes are so intensely holding onto Jun’s, and how he leaves Jun immobile.

“I wouldn’t do that to you. Forcing you to want me wouldn’t be very satisfying.”

White hotness shoots down Jun’s stomach.

“What makes you think, I want you?” Jun croaks, and Sakurai smirks.

It is very sexy, that smirk, Jun suddenly realises, not able to ignore the way his fingers twitch to reach out for the pureblood, just as he felt previously, this time to trace the way Sakurai’s lips curve confidently. For now, Jun must clench his fist to refrain from breaking the restrained role, he has convinced himself is safer to act.

“You know,” Jun inhales sharply when Sakurai moves forward, face now situated right under Jun’s jaw, and Jun feels the faintest brush of Sakurai’s lips on the skin of his neck, “Those suppressed desires you have, I’ve been wanting to draw them out since I first smelled them on you when you walked in here. You’re curious, you’re bold, but you’re fighting your instincts, Jun. Which puzzles me. I thought you were impulsive.” Sakurai’s voice is so husky and gravely, that Jun feels his head spin. Perhaps in that desire Sakurai speaks of, “I want to show you how it would feel if you let go. If you’d just let it consume you.”

“You’re- you’re imagining things.”

“I want you, Jun.”

Well, if that is not a sure way to make Jun go mute. Sakurai’s statement is heavy, and hooks itself onto Jun’s mind, stuck there with no doubt that Sakurai meant it. Jun does not even start questioning it, because that would be dumb. Yet, he does not know how to reply, except for instinctually putting his palm on Sakurai’s chest, a weak attempt to keep the vampire away for just a moment longer, hopefully, to make Jun find his breath and his voice again, to find his feet because right now, he is unsure of whether he is even here, he feels so weightless.

Sakurai’s skin is warm underneath the black shirt, another contrast to the general belief that vampires are cold, and when Sakurai inhales next, Jun starts at the growling sound he makes, low and muffled as it is between them.

“That noise… Was that you?” Jun does not know why he whispers.

Sakurai chuckles, and Jun does not comprehend what he finds amusing about this situation, “Vampire thing, Jun.”

“Since when did I allow you to call me by my first name?”

Finally, Sakurai pulls away a little and Jun feels air rush into his lungs in the space between them, “You dislike it?”

Sakurai asks the same question as when he pulled Jun close in front of Shibasaki, to send a message that Jun is starting to comprehend. This time, he does not answer, just looks at Sakurai’s eyes, the question and hesitancy in them. If Jun rejects him now, despite the want evident in Sakurai’s stance and his voice, Jun is certain the vampire would back off. He would never force himself on Jun. But perhaps, that is what Jun would need in order to forget his own insecurity and the voice in his head that keeps overanalysing things.

Jun does not get to answer, as in that moment, a person walks into the room from the hallway. He shows no remorse when he stops fairly close to them, clearly not caring about the signal they are sending, as they stand there, Sakurai boxing Jun in the way he is.

The male has got his hands in his pockets, wearing a black and silver suit and his dark hair is slicked back and away from his forehead. When Jun notices the way his eyes flicker between the two of them, and his boyish grin widens, it is clear that he is not here to praise the party, the food or anything else related to Sakurai. Even to Jun, it is obvious this vampire has no particular like for Sakurai.

“My, what is this Sakurai-san? I must admit, when Kou told me, I didn’t quite believe her. Why didn’t you just tell the council you wanted a taste of the journalist? That would’ve clarified the situation and made for a much easier solution.” Jun shivers internally when the vampire rakes his eyes up and down Jun’s body, his eyes flashing a curious and sickening neon green colour, “If you just wanted to eat him then-”

Sakurai turns his head sideways to make another sound, Jun did not know vampires could make; it sounds like a mix of the hissing of a snake and a cat. Jun also notices that Sakurai’s fangs are out, long and white and a contrast to his full, red lips. It is the first time, Jun sees them for real.

“I think Shibasaki-san is looking for you, Akanishi-kun.”

The vampire’s smile is gone in an instant, and he narrows his eyes, “What that woman does is none of my concern.”

“Yet, she’s your mate, isn’t she?”

Oh. Despite the situation, Jun is caught in, he cannot help but find his curiosity piqued by Sakurai’s words. Well, that is interesting indeed. The hate that emanates from this younger vampire in front of them, simply must have something to do with the fact that his mate is flirting with someone else. That someone else being none other than Sakurai.

“Say, did this journalist of yours know you only lured him here to eat him?” Akanishi shoots back, but it is as though it does not even affect Jun, “Why don’t you share a bit of him with me? I’ll show you my support on the next meeting if you do.”

This time, Sakurai presses himself closer to Jun, half-blocking him from the view of the other vampire, and Jun hears more than sees the deepening growl, and when he imagines the look on Sakurai’s face, small spikes of hotness crawls all the way to his toes.

“No sharing? Are you sure? You know, I can smell the disgust on him, Sakurai. He won’t like you sucking his blood. Look at his eyes, he despises the thought of you, of our race. I noticed as soon as he walked through the doors to this party.” Akanishi drawls, and Jun is honestly surprised to witness anyone daring to go against someone of the Sakurai bloodline this childishly, “Or perhaps, you plan on hypnotizing him.”

“I won’t. Not to him.”

“Oh? You prefer to fight him? Honestly, I never thought _the_ Sakurai Sho would have to force himself on anyone. And a human at that, but here we are.”

This Akanishi person is obviously trying to either provoke Sakurai out of his calm state, to make him lose his composure, or to scare Jun into running away. But there is no way Jun is going to let either of those things happen at Sakurai’s own party, just because someone clearly younger than the vampire, is trying to feel better about himself by belittling him. And this vampire evidently has no idea what Jun has learned during the past couple of months; how Sakurai has shown him so much about what the vampire society is, how vampires are much more than dark creatures who need blood to survive, and this party seems to be the final note: That some of the things, Jun did imagine about vampires is true, but he should not be afraid, not with Sakurai beside him. Whether Sakurai planned to invite Jun here right from the day they met, Jun does not know, but he knows it has only brought them closer together, not further apart, as this young vampire seems to be so sure of.

So, for those reasons, some curious desire to win against the vampire who is clearly both insulting and threatening Sakurai, makes Jun feel bolder, and it is with clarity that he looks at Sakurai, only at him, and the way he has Jun right where Jun wants to be. The arms on either side of Jun’s face are no prison, Sakurai is protecting him. When Shibasaki showed up, Sakurai must have known that Akanishi was bound to be here too, and if Sakurai has trouble with the council, it most likely puts Jun in danger if one of the members sees him. And that is why Sakurai drew him away from the party, at least, that must have been his primary reason. Sakurai’s rush then, albeit demandingly, to get Jun alone, was not only for the fun of it. Part of Jun is not stupid enough to think Sakurai does not want something from him, but this time, the pureblood once more took actions to protect Jun. Perhaps, it is time Sakurai stopped doing that and let Jun do some of the legwork.

Fully conscious of his actions and of the consequences they will lead to, Jun reaches forward to grab the shirt labels of Sakurai’s suit. It affectively makes Sakurai turn his attention back to Jun, and for just a second, Jun hesitates, but purely out of embarrassment and realisation that one of them really should have done this sooner. Just before he pulls to close the gap between them, he turns his head and smirks at Akanishi, relishing in the vampire’s shocked expression. Perhaps he is one of those that hold the impression that humans are mere cattle. Not Jun. No one decides for him.

The kiss is careful, very light, until Jun can feel Sakurai’s fangs withdrawing, for the vampire to sink into the kiss and bring some force against Jun’s mouth. When he does, Jun cannot help the sigh, and he sags slightly against the wall, arousal flooding over him like a tidal wave.

One of Sakurai’s arms leave the wall to wrap around Jun to pull him closer, and Jun just lets go.

When Akanishi leaves, Jun does not notice, and whether he made a comment about Jun’s actions, Jun is sure he can make Sakurai tell him later. Right now, only the feeling of Sakurai’s lips moving against his, taking his breath away, is what matters, and he makes sure to enjoy it until he needs to break away to breathe. Though what meets him are a set of black irises, desire shining in Sakurai’s gaze.

“That was bold.” Sakurai husks, so close that Jun shivers.

“It worked, didn’t it.”

“So, you did it to get him away, is it?”

Jun tilts his head slightly at Sakurai’s question, not really able to read the emotion behind it, “Essentially, yes. Make him eat his words.” He smirks.

“I don’t disgust you then?”

Now, Jun slowly starts to feel how red he is, face all hot from the kiss and from the way Sakurai continues to look at him, “Who knows.”

Sakurai’s eyes flash just then, red, and Jun’s heart skips a beat. The colour is gone as quickly as it came, and Jun wishes it could have remained for just a bit longer.

“Who indeed,” Sakurai snarls and slowly brings his hand down to wrap around Jun’s nape and stroke his neck. The gesture is gentle, yet there is an underlying threat, a dare for Jun to test his patience further, “Don’t tease me, Jun. There is no way, I can let you run away now.”

“Planning to keep me prisoner, Sakurai?”

“Sho. My name is Sho. Sakurai is a family name with obligations attached.”

“And you’re more than just that,” his voice is so faint, had Sho not been a vampire, he probably would not be able to hear it, “Sho.”

Tasting the name on his tongue, it feels like Jun just agreed to something, sealed a deal, because Sho surges forward then, mouth on Jun’s and it is rougher now, signifying the need, the vampire seems to have kept bottled up for as long as it took Jun to get his shit together, to get over himself and his pretences.

“Sho. Sho.” Jun repeats every time Sho breaks away and gasps are exchanged, and it only spurs Sho on.

Jun feels a nibbling at the seam of his lips, a sharpness there that makes him open his mouth in a gasp of surprise, instinctual fear of Sho’s fangs breaking skin. Perhaps Sho knew that, because his tongue slides over lips and teeth to explore Jun’s mouth, and Jun’s legs threaten to give out at the sharp pang of pleasure that shoots down between his legs, when he feels the warm muscle move boldly deep. Sho is so far from apologetic in the demanding way he tastes Jun and pushes his body flush against Jun’s, to trap him between Sho’s hard chest and the unrelenting wall. It is almost too much for Jun, who feels grounded only by the strong arm around his waist, supporting him. Then, he feels the hand by his neck slide down a little, to caress collarbones, and when Sho breaks away, Jun almost should have known what was to come.

Hot condensation is left on the fine skin just beneath Jun’s jawbone, Sho’s breath leaving goose bumps all the way down to the collar of Jun’s shirt. Sho’s lips move agonisingly slowly, and Jun stops breathing when they, in their wet tracking, stop just above Jun’s pulse point.

“Jun,” There is only Sho’s voice, and Jun has even closed his eyes, half afraid, half desperate, “Breathe.”

Sho’s tongue presses flatly against the thick vein, and Jun tries and fails at following Sho’s request, inquiry, order, whatever it is, Jun cannot tell. He does not doubt what it means when he feels Sho opening his mouth slowly to tease the fragile flesh with his teeth.

“No.”

Sho chuckles darkly, “What an adorable squeak. Afraid I’m going to mark you?”

When Jun swallows, sharp teeth also poke at his Adams Apple, and a thought of whether Sho also has fangs in his lower mouth pierces Jun’s thoughts. He gets curious, and tries to pull back and away, not to get away, but to see. It is not possible though, as hard as the wall is at his backside. He licks his lips.

“Sho,” Jun blinks quickly to recompose himself, for some reason the number of fangs in Sho’s mouth appears more important to Jun than their kissing, “Are you- how many fangs do you have?”

Unsurprisingly, the question catches Sho a little off guard, and he snorts, “What?” When Jun just continues looking at him rather seriously, honestly interested, he chuckles a little, “Is this for the article?”

“No. I want to know. It felt like you have two sets. But I’ve only ever heard of vampires with an upper set of fangs.”

Sho raises an eyebrow, and it really should not be as sexy as Jun finds it right then, “Is that so.”

Weight is pressed against Jun, his ass hitting the wall, and as Sho presses a leg in between Jun’s, Jun bites his bottom lip to refrain from inhaling deeply when he feels an evident bulge against his thigh. Sho’s face is so close to Jun’s, yet far enough away that Jun’s eyes can flicker down to Sho’s mouth every split-second while the silence stretches on. One of Sho’s hands is still resting on the wall to support his upper body weight. And just after slowly rubbing his crotch in a circular motion against Jun and effectively drawing out a sudden, wanton moan, Sho opens his mouth to show Jun how two incredibly big fangs drop down from his upper mouth – Jun is certain it must be a pureblood thing, no regular vampire has such big fangs – as a smaller set starts growing from his lower mouth a moment after. The teeth are so long they overlap, and Jun cannot imagine Sho is able to close his mouth like this without piercing himself.

Jun’s heart is hammering ridiculously hard against his ribcage, simultaneously leading blood to his growing erection, turned on and utterly frightened by this undoubtedly lethal creature in front of him. Like this, Sho looks exactly like one of those vampires of Jun’s nightmares. Yet, so much more… Erotic and alluring, and Jun cannot look away. He can only imagine how it would feel to have those incredible canines piercing skin and sinking through flesh.

“Does it-” his voice fails him, and he wants to roll his eyes at himself, “Doesn’t it hurt you?”

Sho spends another moment looking at Jun, and even though he is fascinated by those fangs, Jun’s attention is drawn back to the vampire’s obsidian eyes, the intensity in them, before Sho’s face disappears from Jun’s sight when he leans forward to place his mouth at Jun’s ear, “I’m an adult, I have learned to control my fangs,” he whispers jokingly, “They won’t hurt me. As they won’t hurt you.” Seduction drips from his last words, and Jun’s knees buckle, and he would have stumpled, had it not been for Sho’s frame holding him up.

Then the vampire’s lips are back on Jun’s, mouth prying Jun’s open like it was nothing, with the way Jun is so utterly lost in it now. If this is indeed hypnosis, Jun is not sure he wants to wake up. Sho’s tongue in Jun’s mouth is slick and wide and as they keep kissing, Jun does his best to fight back, mirroring Sho’s panting whenever the vampire gives him time to breathe, because Jun himself forgets the need to. All he thinks he needs is Sho’s mouth on his.

“Stay.” A kiss, “Please stay.” Another kiss, this one harder, “We’ve always had such little time together. I need to hold you, alone, without all these other bloodsuckers around.”

Jun chuckles despite himself, how can he not when adrenaline is setting fire to his veins, and Sho is referring to his fellow vampires in such a vulgar way? He cannot say no, cannot deny what he himself desires most in this moment. There is no way he can let go of Sho now, no way he will allow Sho to let go of him.

“I’ll stay, just-” Jun sighs, when Sho chooses that moment to suck at Jun’s neck, the sensation burning but only in the way of signalling a love bite in the making, “Don’t let me go.”

“I won’t.” Sho nibbles gently at the same spot, to cause a small stab of pain, “Not now that I finally have you.”

-

Sho knows he is going to get blood on his hands at an execution tomorrow, right after the party. And maybe that is why he is going at this so fiercely, holding Jun so close that he has to keep telling himself that Jun’s body cannot handle as much of Sho’s strength as a vampire can. Jun’s scent is engulfing him like an embrace, hot and comfortable and setting fire to Sho’s senses. It is intoxicating and addicting, and Sho is not sure he would have had it in him to let Jun go, had the human not accepted to stay the night. There is only so much Sho can do to contain his carnal desires, to keep his lust at bay. He may be old, but he is no superman. Far from it. He is a vampire, and a damn powerful one at that.

He will protect Jun with every ounce of strength that he has against anyone who would think to hurt him, but he cannot protect Jun from what he himself is.

At the beginning of the night, Sho had thought he would be able to pull through, despite how _perfect_ Jun looks in his purely black suit – Sho must remember to thank Nino for that – and the mix of emotions that emanated from Jun like radiation; the spicy curiosity, obstinance and sickly-sweet anxiety and self-consciousness. Sho thought he could content himself with being close to the human and let Jun’s emotions take Sho with him, giving Sho an insight into how Jun’s mind works.

But then Jun went and protected Sho. For someone like Sho, a pureblood vampire; old, powerful, rich and influential, it only occurs rarely that anyone thinks to protect him, even if they do not need to. Because he can do anything, right? Sho has always been the one to protect others, Jun included, and he will never stop doing so. However, the way Jun stood up against Akanishi, like it was only natural, proving the vampire wrong about so much of the nonsense he spouted, set Sho’s desire on fire. Of course, it did not help, that in the end, Jun was the one to make the first move, where Sho had been certain from the beginning that he would have to boldly corner Jun and pull the true desires and emotions out of the human, with a bit of force. Again, proving to Sho how unpredictable Jun is to him.

The human is perfect; unique and two-sided, both bold and shy, and sexily provocative, and Sho cannot help but wonder what made Jun this way, because in all of his years, Sho has not met anyone like him.

Sho keeps Jun right by his side for the rest of the night, arm securely wrapped around Jun’s slim waist, and uses every opportunity he gets to whisper into Jun’s ear, inhale the scent of his skin, and enjoy the way Jun’s neck blooms red. The glaringly purple hickey left at the top of Jun’s neck is enough to signal to all the other vampires to stay away from him, and with Sho’s body language and the possessive pheromones he lets out, only a few even look at Jun. At those who do, Sho will let his eyes flash red in warning. It will have to do for now, however, Sho cannot wait to mark Jun even more, to leave wounds and coat Jun in his own scent too. Because although the vampires around know to stay away, Sho still has not laid full claim on Jun, not until he bites him.

He wonders whether Jun will allow him to and is afraid he will not be able to hold himself back, even if he receives a denial. However, with the way Jun has been reacting every time Sho’s mouth comes into contact with his neck, the way his arousal has spiked and left Sho to inhale sharply at the spicy scent, Sho is almost sure, Jun wants it as much as Sho does. The only question left is whether Jun will deny the fact. The human has never made it easy for Sho to get close with his shy, hot-and-cold behaviour. But in Sho’s opinion, that just makes Jun so much more interesting.

The time is nearly 4 in the morning, and Jun is putting most of his weight on Sho’s right side, clearly struggling to stay awake. Sho takes a moment to imprint the experience to memory, the way it feels so right to have Jun’s warmth pressed up against him, the trust Jun shows by allowing Sho this proximity is something Sho was not sure whether was achievable until tonight. They have been through so much already, yet Sho knows there is much more to come.

Vampires party long and hard, but Sho himself is starting to get annoyed at the final 20-or-so guests who just refuse to leave. The ones who have already left have – like Sho – work in the morning and in the days to come, but those who remain likely have no obligations or sense of responsibility.

“Let’s kick these night-owls out, so we can get you to bed,” Sho whispers into Jun’s black hair, as he steers them towards Iwai, standing obligingly in the corner, watching silently.

“Iwai-san, can you please get this flock rounded and kicked out? I’m afraid they’ll soon overstay their welcome, if we don’t do something.”

“Certainly, Sakurai-sama.” The elder vampire bows but cannot quite contain his curiosity and gives Jun a look-over, before meeting Sho’s eyes.

Sho just smiles softly, until the butler walks past them to do as asked. He has left Iwai to handle things after a party before, so he feels no fear when he heads for the stairs, and Jun lets Sho guide him without any kind of protest. It must be due to his exhaustion, and Sho finds the change quite cute.

The mansion is huge, and Sho uses so few of its countless rooms, yet there is no place where it is not warm. Sho reckons, if he is to spend his money on anything, it may as well be warmth and good food, and he does not want Iwai to freeze anywhere when he cleans the whole place. Some parts could probably be covered in plastic and left alone, but the elder vampire has always cleaned the entire house, handled all housematters and the staff, and Sho thinks it will be crueller to take that away from him, than to let him continue until he no longer wants to be here. Iwai has no family left, except a daughter who lives in Hokkaido, devoted as he has always been to the Sakurai family. He is no pureblood of particular influence, yet he is old enough to have worked for Sho’s great-grandfather, and that is enough for Sho to respect him more than he respects anyone else.

“It’s so quiet up here.” Jun observes, his voice hushed as though he is afraid to break the silent state in the corridor.

“It’s pleasant, isn’t it? After all that music and chatter from below.”

Jun yawns and does not try to hide it, “Yes. It makes me feel even sleepier.”

“My room is just around the corner ahead.”

Sho can feel the way Jun’s heart rate suddenly picks up, perhaps the human finally realises he is about to enter Sho’s room, to sleep in his bed. That has to be intimidating for several reasons. Sho will try his best to make Jun feel as much at ease as possible but removing the obvious anticipation in Jun’s chest will probably not be possible.

At the end of the hallway there are two doors; one leads to Sho’s sleeping quarters, the other to the office where he handles most of the affairs that must be hidden away from prying eyes. The study below sometimes acts as a small distraction for those cunning enough to sneak past Sho’s defences to pry at what Sho is currently working on. But the most important papers are all hidden up here, in the corner.

It is not until now, when he has to open the door and turn on the light in the room, that he lets go of Jun, instantly longing to pull him close again, though he refrains from it. When Jun slowly moves in after Sho and lets him close the door behind him, Sho can hear his irregular breathing, the way he tries to stay calm, but fails.

“Hey,” although he wants nothing more than to wrap his arms around Jun, Sho realises it may be more effective to give Jun a little bit of space, “Do you want to take a shower first? I’ll find you a spare toothbrush in the meantime.”

Jun is worrying his bottom lip, taking in the simple, modern surroundings, before he finally nods, “Ok, I’d like that.”

It is a huge leap, Sho gets that, and that is why he allows them both time to adjust to what is undoubtedly going to happen, whether tonight or tomorrow, because every time they move near each other, it feels as though their hearts synchronize and beat in tandem.

“I’ve always imagined huge black canopy beds and heavy curtains in a vampire bedroom. This is a massive revelation, and quite a shock to me,” Jun admits when Sho hands him a big, white towel and shows him how to adjust the water temperature of the spacious shower.

The showerhead is a huge square, and the space itself could probably fit three people behind the big glass wall that separates the shower and the rest of the black and white bathroom. Sho had it renovated by some bathroom-interior expert-whatever after his father died, because Sho could not stand the old designs that have endured through generations without changing. No matter how small a thing, change is inevitable and healthy in appropriate doses.

“Take all the time, you need,” Sho cannot help himself when he strokes the side of Jun’s face, cupping his cheek when Jun leans into it.

“This is a little scary.” Jun admits, and Sho melts at the confession.

“I know. We won’t do anything, you don’t want to do. If I can just hold you tonight, that’s more than enough for me.”

Jun opens his eyes and his expression is so vulnerable and honest, that despite his best efforts, Sho ends up leaning forward to kiss Jun, firmly and gently, and is surprised to find Jun sighing into it, his stiff shoulders loosening up a little. This is new for both of them, and Sho realises he may not need to hold himself back all the time to make Jun relax.

They part reluctantly for Jun to take his shower, and Sho quickly digs around the cupboard for a toothbrush. Just as he leaves the bathroom, he sees Jun slipping the shirt off his shoulders, and he is most likely unaware of how sensual it looks from behind, the black fabric sliding gently off his pale shoulder to reveal several beauty marks to Sho.

Sho hurries and closes the door behind him, ignoring the hot throbbing of his growing arousal, to quickly prepare the bed with an extra pillow and blanket. Most of the room is white, with a high ceiling and dark curtains to block out the light, but decorated around the windowsill with light, white drapings. The bedcover is of burgundy satin, with black details and soft pillows, and underneath Sho’s feet is a soft wall-to-wall white carpet. Sho did choose the colours of the walls, and the fabric of the bedding, but all with the help of an expert.

While Jun showers, Sho takes off his jacket, bowtie and cummerbund as well as his belt and shoes. He places everything neatly on the chair in the corner and moves to the drawers for a T-shirt to sleep in and a clean set of underwear.

After that, it does not take long for the bathroom door to be opened and Jun to appear. Which is when Sho realises he probably should have offered Jun something to sleep in, because he walks in wearing nothing but the towel around his lower half, and Sho swallows with difficulty, “Jun. Do you want to borrow a shirt or something?”

Sho’s upper set of traitorous fangs drop down at the smell wafting from the bathroom at Jun’s entry, and when he realises that Jun has used his shower gel – thereby coating himself in the smell of Sho – his brain is about to go haywire.

“It’s ok.”

Jun has walked so much closer than Sho realised, standing right beside him when Sho turns around, and hell, does Jun even know the thin ice, he is walking on right now? At the next inhale, Sho’s throat makes a growling noise, and really, Jun must have some idea of the effect he has on Sho, because Jun’s pupils dilate, and the smell of his arousal thickens around them.

“Let me just-” _shower too_ , is what Sho wanted to say, but Jun uses that exact moment to tilt his head, and Sho’s eyes zero in on a drop of water running from his hairline down the side of his long, elegant neck, and Sho just snaps.

In the blink of an eye, Sho has seized Jun by the shoulders and pushed him up against the mahogany drawer, and his mouth is opening wider and wider to accompany his fangs as his head sinks down towards that mocking drop of water, now resting by Jun’s shoulderbone. Jun’s gasp and the way Sho can no longer hear him breathe, are what brings his conscience back, leaving him panting against Jun’s so-fragile skin.

“Jun.” his voice is strained, “If you don’t want me to do this, you better hurry and put something on, whatever it is. I promise, I will give you three seconds, and I will do my best to stay as far away from you tonight as possible, because you are making this _really hard_ for me.”

His words are disturbed by his heavy panting and the heavy fangs getting in the way; he has to concentrate _so_ hard to make sense, to make a coherent sentence. His nature tells him to feed, not converse. Sho wonders if Jun can feel the strong shaking of his body as Sho fights his own strength in order to hold back. His senses are on spikes, and he can hear everything down to the way Jun’s blood moves in his veins, faster and faster as Jun’s heart beats. But he also smells Jun’s almost desperate arousal, swallowing Sho like a poisonous cloud, and they really need to break apart, before Sho loses himself to his instincts.

“ _Jun._ ” he warns.

But then, he feels Jun’s arms wrap around his back, one hand splaying over shoulderblades, the other burying itself deeply into Sho’s hair. He hears Jun swallow, feels his erection against Sho’s own, before Jun catches Sho completely off guard with a needy, “ _Please._ ”

Jun is probably not even half aware of what he just asked for, but the vampire has no more capacity in his headspace to care. His hunger and lust take over, and he bites down harder than he would have in a controlled state, fangs digging deep, and he hears Jun’s yell in pain just before the lower row of teeth join in to puncture flesh and join the longer set, to make even more blood pour into Sho’s mouth in a thick stream, hot and warm and alive. And Sho moans at the taste, hands coming up to pull Jun closer, for Sho to suck harder. The white-hot pleasure and roaring in his ears at the sensation of drinking Jun’s blood brings Sho out of control. It has been so long since he drank from anyone, he is close to losing himself completely to the feeling it envokes. But his feelings for Jun, the worry of hurting him suddenly hits him like a bullet, piercing through his shut-down brain, and what grounds him completely again are the noises Jun is currently making.

Jun is half-gasping half-moaning, nails digging into Sho’s back and his scalp in what seems to be partly pain and partly pleasure, and his lower half is rolling hurriedly against Sho’s, in search for friction, for anything to soothe the desperate need to come, and Sho can smell it all, taste it on his tongue, because it is mirrored in himself. Sho slows down his drinking, but keeps his teeth deeply buried in Jun, even as he moves them to the bed. With his strength and speed, he easily lifts Jun and puts him down on the bed under Sho a split-second later. With one hand cradling the back of Jun’s head, he uses the other to tear away the towel, and he wastes no time before wrapping his hand around Jun’s weeping erection, groaning deeply when he feels the slick precome, its amount more than enough to ensure a smooth slide when Sho starts moving his hand up and down in an unrelenting pace.

Jun yells again, back arching and hips bucking up in an irregular rhythm as he chases his orgasm. The way he is chanting Sho’s name completely wantonly leaves the vampire’s mind frazzled, and his vision swims when he imagines how it would feel to be inside Jun while drinking from him like this, thrusting into him until they both release, and Sho can mark Jun from the inside.

He unsheathes his teeth and detaches his mouth to growl into Jun’s ear and encourage him to fall over the edge, “That’s it, Jun. Let go. Come for me, show me.”

Only a few more harsh tugs at Jun’s cock, before he comes into Sho’s hand with a broken shout, coating Sho’s fingers when Sho strokes him through the intense orgasm. Sho’s shirt gets a little stained too, but he does not waste time concerning himself with it, instead leaning back to strip it off, along with his underwear.

“My turn,” he growls against the four puncture wounds on Jun’s neck, that he presses his tongue against in affection and apology.

There is lube in the drawer that Sho reaches over Jun for, the human completely exhausted and panting underneath him; body coated in a thin layer of mixed sweat and moisture from his bath, and Sho finds him the most alluring creature he has ever seen, even with the messy hair and wet lips. He looks to be in no state to do anything, so Sho plans to take care of it himself, more than hard enough and able to come from the sight of Jun’s naked, agile form beneath him, soft and spent as he is. And the knowledge that Sho is the one to have left him in this state gives Sho the feeling that he need only touch his cock for seconds before he loses it too, planning to coat Jun’s skin.

It seems long ago that he started wanting the human in the way he does, and he is convinced he has waited more than long enough in patience to strip Jun naked to reveal what Sho could only imagine to be under his clothes. And Sho is far from disappointed, marvelling in the agile dips and valleys of muscle underneath milk-white skin, and all those perfect imperfect dark-brown dots everywhere. Sho leans back on his haunches to pour a generous amount of lube on his hand, before getting on his knees to loom over Jun again, one arm supporting his weight beside Jun’s head when he meets Jun’s eyes. The first touch of his hand on his cock makes him groan, struggling to keep his eyes open.

“Wait.” A hand on his makes Sho pause.

Jun is still breathing heavily, and despite of it, he struggles into a sitting position, eyes firm and contrasting the tiredness evident in his clumsy moves, “Please. Let me.”

“I understand you’re tired Jun, don’t worry about it.”

“No. I want to take care of you too,” Jun insists, somehow managing to get onto his knees and push Sho back a little, “I have wanted to do things to you too, you know.”

There is no way Sho can refuse him, not with those words and the way Jun looks at him through his eyelashes. How he can be this seductive after having so much of his blood drained and orgasming so intensely, is beyond Sho, though he makes a mental note to test Jun’s exact amount of stamina later.

Jun’s hands move up Sho’s sides and chest slowly, droopy eyes lazily tracing Sho’s skin in what to Sho appears to be reverence. He cannot help the soft smile on his face at Jun’s movements which are either slow due to exhaustion, or due to Jun wanting to take his time touching Sho. With one hand moving across Sho’s pectoral and the other moving into Sho’s hair, Sho meets him halfway.

The kiss is languid and soft, Sho letting Jun’s tongue meet his before sliding into Sho’s mouth. For now, Sho does not mind letting Jun have his way with him, and he relinquishes control, just to see what Jun does with it.

“When I saw you in your suit tonight, with that bloody cummerbund, I thought I’d never seen anyone as handsome as you,” Jun breaks away to bend down and kiss Sho’s pectoral. His lips press firmly against Sho’s skin, and Sho can feel the burning intent, when Jun moves further down, “But without clothes…” He stops to nibble teasingly at Sho’s abs, right before rising on his knees again, so their faces are aligned, “There’s no one I’d rather have consume me. I want you so much.”

Sho forgets anything he might have thought of as an answer, when Jun wraps his long fingers around Sho’s length and squeezes, thumb moving up to rub at the slit, and Sho hisses loudly, throwing his head back a little with his fangs poking at his bottom lip.

“I wonder if I have it in me to make a pureblood vampire fall apart?” Jun may be mumbling this to himself, but Sho picks it up regardless.

“You just have to be close to me, and I am already falling apart.”

Jun casts his eyes down, and Sho realises that he is looking at Sho’s erection, watching the way the precome drops from its tip when Jun moves his hand up and down only once. The sight of Jun’s fascination, or whatever it is, sends arousal pooling in Sho’s gut and he groans, just as he bites at the shell of Jun’s ear, teasing it with his teeth, without tearing skin, and Jun starts.

Sho is licking at Jun’s inner ear, when Jun suddenly digs his nails into Sho’s dorsal muscle, causing small pricks of pain to tug at Sho’s attention, “Sho. I want to taste you.”

Pulling back, Sho bares his fangs in a hiss, threateningly in Jun’s face, thrilled to see the way Jun’s pupils expand, “Are you going to suck me off?”

Jun licks his lips, and Sho follows the movement with his eyes, “Are you going to ask me to?”

Where is this coolness and energy coming from? This is the hottest thing Sho has ever seen, leaving him surprised and impressed at what the human is capable of. He narrows his eyes and then his hand surges forward to grab the hair at the back of Jun’s head. His grip is tight, but not tight enough to hurt, and then he pushes downwards a little, indicating exactly where he wants Jun. He is so hard that if Jun does not move soon, he is going to work himself and spill all over Jun’s skin,

“I don’t ask, Jun. I command,” Sho smirks haughtily, “Show me whether you can make me fall apart. And if you’re good, I’ll fuck your mouth.”

If Sho has understood Jun correctly, he knows the man is very competitive, and challenging his pride like this seems to get just the reaction, Sho wants. Because Jun moves right up to breathe hot air into Sho’s ear and claw gently at his skin again,

“I’ll show you good.”

He wastes no additional time before sinking down on all fours, not asking as he guides Sho’s cock to his mouth with one hand and takes the head into his mouth ahead of any teasing. Sho loves it, no beating around the bush, and he throws his head back in a loud groan. The heat of Jun’s mouth is indescribable, and Sho feels his control slipping away quicker than he thought it would, with a hand resting unmoving – for now – on top of Jun’s head. Jun immediately starts sucking eagerly, bobbing his head back and forth while swirling his tongue over every vein and fold, and Sho knows there is no way he is going to last long against Jun’s proactiveness.

Admittedly, the angle from here is great; Sho is able to see the way Jun’s back muscles move whenever he takes Sho’s cock, the way his thighs flex when he pulls back a little, and Sho marvels at the shape of Jun, the expanse of his shoulders, the unreal way they narrow down to Jun’s slim waist, only to widen a little at Jun’s hips. He is perfectly triangular, and small spots are scattered everywhere like black stars on ivory.

“Jun.” he warns, tugging at a few strands of hair. Yet, Jun just hums around Sho, effectively sending vibrations down to Sho’s tightening balls, “Fuck, Jun.”

Jun slowly pulls back then, detaching his mouth and licking around his lips as though he is savouring the taste, “Don’t hold back,” he tells Sho, kissing his pelvic bone, “I won’t break.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.” Sho is panting hard, shaking a little to keep a hold on himself. But weaving his fingers through Jun’s hair, along with the open honesty in Jun’s eyes, somehow keeps Sho grounded. The angle cannot be good for Jun’s neck, so it is a good thing Sho will only last minutes.

“You’re not going to. Let loose, Sho. You will know if you hurt me,” Jun smiles just before bending down again, and honestly, Sho waves both heart and brain goodbye right then, “Though, it will be a challenge, you are quite big.”

Jun takes Sho as far as he can then, up to the point where he chokes slightly, and the constriction around Sho’s cock makes Sho curse out loud. Unsurprisingly, Jun does not feel disheartened, and moves right back in again, with each bob of his head taking Sho deeper, and it does not take long for Sho to start moving with him. The part that Jun cannot reach, he grabs with his hand, somehow managing to balance his weight and adjust to Sho’s movements with just one hand resting on the bedding. Slowly at first, only to increase his pace, Sho snaps his hips forward to move the tip of his cock just an inch further in than Jun moves by himself, and his gaze does not miss the way Jun gets all wet around his mouth, throat working hard to accommodate more and more of Sho’s size.

When Jun moves his hand down to fondle Sho’s balls, Sho notices how visible the four puncture wounds are on the side of Jun’s neck from here, an angry, purple bruise slowly forming, and that does it. His grip tightens in Jun’s hair, and then he starts thrusting forward with a vengeance. It makes Jun gasp muffledly and choke, but Sho’s hold on his hair keeps him in place, nowhere for him to run. And though he tears up a little, he remains brave, slowly getting used to the regular pushing at his throat, Sho’s cock urging Jun’s throat again and again, to open.

Jun is not able to take Sho all the way to the root just yet, but he does not have to. The constant pulsing of Jun’s struggling throat around Sho’s cock is enough to make Sho’s mind spin in ecstasy, and the room is soon filled with the noise of his deep growling, possessive and demanding, until it becomes too much and Sho thrusts into Jun’s mouth one last time, as deep as Jun can take him, and Sho comes right after panting a half-audible “Jun” in warning. The release makes black stars appear around the corners of Sho’s vision, because he keeps his eyes fixed on Jun, on the way Jun’s neck moves as he swallows as much as he can, and yet not enough because some escapes at the corners of his mouth, even more when Sho pulls back a little, coming down from his high and giving Jun a little space to recollect himself.

If Sho did not just have one of the most intense orgasms of his life, it would not have taken long for him to get high again at the sight before him: Jun’s hair standing in every direction, mouth so red and swollen it begs to be kissed, and on all fours, right until he sits back on his knees, wobbly and cross-eyed in the used state he is in. Immediately, Sho reaches forward to embrace him, moving so both of them can lie down face to face, and Sho can kiss Jun softly, licking the traces of what he just did to him from his red lips.

“Wow.”

“Have to practice more it seems.” Is all Jun says wispily, but Sho just chuckles, out of breath.

“You were perfect.”

“Next time, I am going to take all of you.”

Sho does not stop staring at Jun’s brown eyes, his long eyelashes and high cheekbones that he reaches up to stroke, “That means there will be a next time?”

When Jun blushes, the redness assembles around his neck and on the tip of his ears, “If you want to.”

“Tomorrow, we have all morning.” Sho whispers and kisses Jun, tasting himself on the tongue that boldly sneaks into his mouth.

If they were not so exhausted, they would have continued, evident in the way Sho feels a pulling current between them, a tension building low in his stomach just at Jun’s presence, at the way he kisses and touches Sho’s neck.

Sho needs to break their embrace to reach for the thick blanket which has fallen to the side of the bed along with the covers, wanting to make sure Jun does not get cold. He pulls it tightly around Jun’s form, noticing how Jun follows him closely with his eyes. Then he moves them around, so he can spoon Jun, and wrap his arms around him to pull him in close. He wants Jun close, and like this, he is less of a temptation. Regardless, it does not keep Sho from gently kissing and tonguing the wound on Jun’s neck, to hopefully soothe away some of the bruising and spread his scent further over Jun.

“Are you warm enough?” Sho asks.

Sho sees Jun’s head move up and down in a nod. Then Jun wiggles backwards a little to be even closer to Sho, “It’s very nice.”

Sho cannot remember the last time he was in a position like this with someone he cared for. Honestly, the wish for this kind of situation has been far from his mind for centuries, and his thoughts go to Nino for realising ahead of Sho, how much he actually needed someone. Inhaling the scent of Jun so close to him soothes Sho like nothing else, and it is both terrifying and thrilling for him to discover how deeply he has fallen, over just the last couple of weeks, how just tonight has made his feelings for Jun so evident. It is a little scary to wonder how Jun feels about him, so Sho pushes away that thought, knowing he would never force Jun into anything.

With his lips resting against Jun’s shoulder, Sho closes his eyes, knowing sleep may come quick given the state of his mind and body.

But despite how Jun appears relaxed, Sho does not pick up the tell-tale deep breathing of sleep, even after what seems to be half an hour, so he rubs his nose gently against the patch of skin behind Jun’s ear, “What’s wrong?”

“I- It’s nothing. I shouldn’t keep you up.”

Sho flexes his arm a little around Jun in affection, “There is no way, I am going to let you lie awake like this without watching over you until you fall asleep. What is on your mind?”

Jun takes a moment to answer, and Sho notices the slight insecurity and embarrassment, though he does not comment on it. This is a huge step for Jun, from what he used to be, and the manner in which he regarded vampires. It would honestly have been surprising if he could just sleep like this, alone in a vampire’s home.

“I think part of me is still unsure of whether it’s ok to feel safe. I am not afraid of you of course! But, I think all the impressions from tonight, all those images of fangs and blood just won’t leave my mind.”

“It was a lot. I am truly sorry for overwhelming you like this.”

Sho feels Jun’s hand on top of his own, “Something really good came out of it.”

It feels like Sho’s heart expands at the words, and he puts his face against Jun’s skin again in reverence. Otherwise, he says nothing, letting Jun turn his thoughts around a little, pull together all the good things and bad things that happened tonight – Sho owes Jun that much.

It is so quiet in the room, not even the sound of Iwai and the housemaid cleaning after the party can be heard in the room, and Sho appreciates the silence more than anything, only disturbed by the sound of Jun’s heartbeat and his breathing, so close to Sho’s own.

“You know, my mom fell in love with a human.” The words just seem to fall out of Sho’s mouth without him knowing.

“Didn’t she marry your father?”

 “Yes. I don’t know whether they were ever mates, my mom and the human male, but they were torn apart regardless, when my mother married my father. It was an important arranged marriage, everyone knew how the blood of two majorly influential aristocratic families was going to be brought together. It was a big thing, still is, mixing the strong bloods to create something even more powerful.”

Sho thinks back on so many bitter memories of friends who have been torn from their loved ones because of the council and old, conservative heads of families. Had Sho’s father still been here, he would have undoubtedly tried to marry Sho off to some aristocratic female who could bear Sho strong children. As it stands now, the Sakurai bloodline is going to end with Sho.

“She’s… She’s not alive anymore, is she?” Jun asks tentatively, though he knows the answer.

“Died giving birth to me. Didn’t seem like my father cared much, he got his heir after all. Though, perhaps he would’ve liked to have more options, given how I turned out.”

“You’re a great son! You’re doing so much for the vampire society, and you work so hard. Why wouldn’t he like that?”

Sho strokes Jun’s arm soothingly, enjoying being able to just touch him, “Because I don’t do things like he did. We’re very different, my father and I. Especially when it comes to how we perceive humans. I don’t believe he’d ever consider working to make the two races understand each other. For him, humans were food.” Sho sighs, “Well, enough about him. He’s gone now.”

Jun remains quiet for a moment, and Sho can feel his heartbeat slowing down, “Do you miss him?”

The question surprises Sho, because anyone who knows about the relationship Sho had with his father, would probably not dare ask, or would already have guessed the answer. And the easy choice would be to say no. Yet there were times, when Sho was still very small, when his father was in a good mood and would take Sho out for mochi by a small stall at the corner of the street or bring Sho along for a walk through the town. It was also Sho’s father who insisted Sho be taught the art of the sword, despite peaceful times, back when the katana was still the Japanese weapon of choice.

“I miss his good days,” is what Sho ends up answering, closing his eyes and letting Jun’s presence keep him calm, “Unfortunately, they were few in number and far outweighed by the bad ones. I honestly hardly remember what I felt about him. We weren’t very close.”

Jun turns around in Sho’s arms then, bringing both hands up to cradle Sho’s face. And Jun’s eyes are filled with emotion as they hold onto Sho’s gaze, as they search for something, “I am sorry. It can’t have been easy.”

Sho places his head in the crook of Jun’s neck, “He’s been gone for a long time now, and things have gotten better. Don’t worry for me.”

“Sorry, but I probably cannot help it from now on.”

Sho does not know what to reply. He has only told Jun half the truth, some secrets Sho will have to protect for years, perhaps even forever. Deeply touched by Jun’s empathy, Sho continues to hold him close, dwelling in this moment and repressing those horrible childhood memories.

“Please don’t write this in your article.”

“Sho,” Jun chuckles, “It’s about more than that ridiculous article now. What is important is whatever it is we’re doing, you and I, together, right now. I don’t know about you but…” his voice fades, and Sho is confused for a moment when Jun casts his eyes down, “I don’t just sleep with any vampire.”

A smile is inevitable on Sho’s face, and he wraps his arms around Jun’s upper back to kiss his collarbone long and firmly, “I don’t just sleep with any human either.”

Jun does not move away from the position, and they fall asleep like this, in the middle of the bed, impossibly closely wrapped around each other.

 

-

 

Kilometres from the mansion, the city has been awake for a few hours, most people are already at work, typing away on their computers, participating in meetings and drinking their fancy Starbucks coffee, but in Sho’s bedroom, the curtains are still drawn tight, leaving only little light to peek through the fabric and make the room light up warmly. At this time of the morning, Sho is usually sipping his own coffee, fresh from a good workout and a shower, but today, for the first time in 300 years, he is not waking up alone.

Jun is panting into his pillow, wriggling like he cannot decide whether he wants to try and escape, or get closer to Sho’s currently invading fingers as they move in deep and cause burns every time Sho parts them.

“What’s wrong, Jun? I cannot read you. Do you want more, or should I stop?”

Jun groans and answers back in annoyance, “You damn tease. Had I known you’d be like this, I would’ve jumped another vampire.”

Sho wants to bite at Jun’s neck, but the pillow is currently in the way, put up to protect Jun’s already over-abused neck, littered with red lovebites, so instead he adds another finger, watching as Jun half yells, half sobs into the soft pillow he is pulling close to his face with both hands. Jun is lying half on top of Sho, with one knee lifted and pressed to Sho side, to give Sho access.

“Don’t you fucking dare. If you leave, I will hunt you down, and tear apart anything or anyone who gets in my way.”

It constricts around Sho’s invading fingers, and Jun moans and throws his head back, “Sho.”

“Yes?”

“Please.”

“What?”

Sho pumps faster, enjoying the slick, tight feeling around the digits and the filthy sound the thrusting motion makes.

“Don’t you dare leave me either.”

At that, Jun suddenly dismisses the pillow, and then Jun’s limps are encasing Sho’s neck and waist as Jun clings to him like an octopus. Sho feels Jun’s hard erection against his hipbone and groans, wrapping his free arm around Jun too and rolling his hips to create that delicious friction that lights fire in both of them.

“I won’t. Jun, I promise you, they’ll have to cut me to pieces to keep me away from you.”

Jun is gnawing and sucking a bruise into Sho’s neck, his blunt teeth doing nothing but sting Sho a little and make him retaliate by digging his fingers into Jun’s ass.

“Sho. Fuck me, come on. And I want you to bite me again.”

“So demanding,” Sho chuckles, loving Jun more and more by the minute, “At this rate, I’ll have you drained by lunch time.”

“Don’t care,” the octopus comments off-handedly.

“But I do.” Sho turns his head and captures Jun’s lips, already ravenous to kiss him again after the few minutes where the pillow got in the way.

By now, it takes no effort to get Jun to open his mouth, obedient as he is, opening when Sho’s lips seal Jun’s. Sho sucks Jun’s tongue into his mouth and lets his teeth scrape it just gently in mischief to hear Jun moan and rut upwards, for their cocks to slide against each other.

“What a change from when I met you the first time. Every thought of fangs disgusted you back then,” Sho reaches for the lube on the night table again, wriggling a little out of the hold Jun has on him to multitask.

“You talk too much, Sakurai.”

“Well, move back a little then, babe.”

Sho pushes at Jun until he has got him lying on his back, legs spread for Sho to sit between them. Without taking his fingers out of Jun, Sho takes the cap off the small bottle with one hand to pour some over the other hand and Jun’s stretched hole which twitches a little at the sensation of cold lube.

“Spread your legs more.” Sho demands and takes a hold of one of Jun’s calves to have it resting on Sho’s shoulder, knee by his ear, “Like this.”

The view is great from here, and Sho lets Jun know as much by meeting his heavy-lidded gaze and smirks.

“Shut up.” Jun snaps, but at least this time he does not hide his face.

“Can’t do, I talk too much,” Sho husks as he leans over Jun’s body, effectively bending Jun’s flexible limbs to reach his lips.

Sho swallows all of Jun’s little noises of pleasure when he begins moving his fingers inwards and outwards again, crooking and twisting them to find all those small knots of nerves that make Jun surge forward, only to be held down by Sho’s body. Despite his earlier demand, Sho wants him open and softened to accommodate Sho’s cock.

When he begins exploring Jun’s body with his mouth, Jun hisses in what Sho reads as frustration and ecstasy.

“Good?”

“Nnhg,”

“Completely coherent, as always.” Sho reaches the little beauty mark beside Jun’s nipple and instantly attacks the stiffening bud, twisting it around with his tongue and letting his fangs sink down a little to scratch at it and effectively make Jun yell, “I love the way you sound.”

Jun whines and twists when Sho runs his hand reverently down his side and hip, “You’re such a tease,”

“And you’re ticklish.”

With the arousal and adrenaline causing Jun’s blood to pump faster in his veins, Sho catches sound of the low thumping in the main arteries, and when he leans back a little, his gaze slims down to the huge vein Jun has right next to his thigh, at the Achilles Belt, by pure instinct. His mouth starts watering, and he wonders how it would make Jun feel. It would most likely take the human by surprise, since most of his kind have the image of vampires feeding from the neck of their prey. But Sho is different, and Jun is different; with him, Sho wants to mark him everywhere.

Merely having their blood drained will leave humans in such high, sharp ecstasy that if they do not come by the end of the feeding, they will be very close to, desperate as Jun too was last night.

When Sho latches onto Jun’s skin again, he moves down quickly with purpose, making sure never to stop scissoring inside Jun, especially when he finds his prostate and massages the little round bump to make Jun cry out again and again. Jun raises the other leg in his rapid loss of control of him limps, so Sho presses it down with his free hand with a gentle tsk. Jun chants his name and whines his complaints, and Sho does not blame him, with the way Sho’s tongue is now pressing into the dip between pelvic bone and thigh and sucking hickies on the inside of the fat muscle there.

“I wonder how you taste down here,” Sho’s voice is gravel and shadow.

“Please, for fucks sake, _Sho_.”

The desperation and annoyance in Jun’s voice make Sho laugh and notice the way his heart soars in excitement. Then he takes Jun by surprise by suddenly engulfing his cock, tasting the way the precome has run down the sides of Jun’s length with all the teasing and preparing of Jun’s hole. Jun brings a fist up to his mouth to muffle his cries, and it is such an adorable thing. With the way he fists the sheets and the way his thighs shake, Sho knows that Jun is very close. So Sho pulls away a little, knowing exactly how he wants Jun to come.

His fingers in Jun slow down before Sho forces in a fourth one and he pulls away from Jun’s cock, sucking on the head as he parts from it, and Jun visibly relaxes though he groans in frustration over being edged like this. When Sho peers up, he finds Jun staring at him, his lips all shiny and angry red at having been bitten, and Sho makes sure to send Jun a dark look, full of intention. They do not break their gaze when Sho’s fingers go back to their previous rhythm, scissoring and crooking and pulling at the inner walls to soften Jun up nice and good. Jun is clearly fighting a losing battle to keep his eyes open, so Sho decides to stop beating around. His own cock is weeping and throbbing painfully, and if he does not enter Jun soon, he thinks he will go crazy.

So, making sure he has a firm grip on Jun’s eyes, Sho licks his lips and moves up to his pelvis again. And then, he makes a great show out of opening his mouth wide, to show Jun the way his fangs elongate and sink down over his teeth, a little crooked as they are. The smell of Jun and the need to mate in Sho almost makes his lower fangs pop up too, but it is too early, there is no way he can bite Jun properly if that happens. He shows Jun their pointiness though, right before he snarls in hunger and lunges down into the bite.

Jun’s skin at the Achilles Belt is soft and tears away with ease once Sho’s fangs come into contact with it, and blood immediately pours out of the wound and into Sho’s eager mouth. He groans darkly, lust welling over him, and he almost comes at the taste, holding himself back with a harsh grip around his own cock. Conversely, Jun releases a scream in what is presumably pain, right until Sho starts sucking and the noise turns into a pathetic, drawn-out moan. Unlike Sho, Jun cannot hold back and his cock twitches next to Sho’s head, Jun coming in great spurts over his lower abdomen and his thighs, some of it undoubtedly landing on Sho’s cheek. Sho can feel the spasms going through Jun’s body, can feel how the blood pumps into his mouth at the convulsions, and Sho swallows the thick liquid down slowly, in great heaves to give Jun even more pleasure, but then he also needs to stop himself. However irresistible the sweet, thick taste is, Sho does not want to drain Jun dry, and he forces himself to pull away, only a moment later, with the knowledge that he can undoubtedly return to this exact spot in the near future. That choice however, has Sho losing the firm control of his lust, and he does not ask when he sits up and pulls Jun close to spread his thighs wide. It takes less than a second for Sho to pull out his fingers and place his slick, red erection by Jun’s arse, and then he pushes in. In one great thrust, he bottoms out and even though Jun is relaxed in his post-orgasm haze, he is undoubtedly sensitive and whines in discomfort.

Sho curses at how tight Jun is around him despite the earlier thorough preparation, the warmth of Jun and the clenching intensified by the orgasm, “You feel so good, Jun. So good.”

He only manages to hold himself back for a few seconds before he needs to move, his body craves the release, and Sho may be pureblood, but he is still a vampire, and there is only so much he can demand of his body. When he picks up a steady pace with hard thrusts that sends Jun moving on the sheets below him, Sho thinks back to his fantasies of Jun spread out under him. On some lonely nights, Sho would imagine Jun against a wall before Sho, with Sho roughly taking him from behind with a cruel hold on hip and buttock. With every violent thrust in and upwards, Jun’s chest would rub against the wooden walls, leaving him with burns for Sho to lick better afterwards. But being able to see Jun’s face now; the way his mouth is open and his head thrashes from side to side as if Jun cannot decide whether it is painful or so pleasurable that he cannot take it, takes some of the feral desire out of Sho and leaves more reverence and need to mark and protect at the same time.

“Jun. Jun.” he chants, leaning further forward to hit deeper, and Jun wraps his long legs tight around Sho, clenching down and turning his head to bite at one of the wrists resting beside his head.

“More, Sho, more. _Harder._ ”

“If I go hard, I’m going to break you, little human.”

“Then fucking break me,” Jun hisses.

As alluring and damn hot Jun’s fearlessness is, Sho knows he cannot go as hard as he would like. Vampire sex can get quite violent, and it would kill a human like Jun. Instead, Sho reaches forward to grab Jun’s hair and pull his head back a little roughly. The action exposes Jun’s throat that Sho latches onto with teeth and tongue, tasting and marking, thoroughly knowing Jun is going to be in so much trouble at his office. But they both knew this when Sho bit Jun last night, both knew Jun would have to do something drastic today, and perhaps that is why none of them holds back.

Jun is rounding his back to meet each of Sho’s thrusts, pulling Sho so tight with the vice-like grip of his legs. He is so strong, for a human, and Sho lets Jun know this with a seductive whisper in his ear, followed by all sorts of filthy words.

“If your skin was a little harder, your body more resilient… What I would do to you, Jun.”

Jun moans brokenly, his cock now hard again between them, and Sho wonders if he can make him come untouched again.

The sounds of their coupling are noisy, all harsh pants and high moans, the sound of skin slapping and a wet, filthy noise breaking through it all whenever Sho drives in deep, now faster and faster as the need to release increases.

He continues to bite Jun, marking his one pectoral, his shoulder, his shin, wherever he can reach, to leave his mark everywhere. Possessiveness takes over Sho, and that is all he can do to refrain from fucking Jun as he would a vampire. Deep down, he knows all his actions are marking Jun as a mate, yet it is too early, and there is no way they can seal the bond both ways, when Jun is just a human. Their heartbeats synchronize, and Jun is panting heavily, desperately, almost as if he has trouble breathing.

“Sho,” he pleads, “Too much, too much. Please.”

But Sho will not last much longer either. Jun is so deliciously tight and wet around him, and when Sho grabs the headboard of the bed, he uses it to ground his body and pull himself forward, so hard and deep into Jun that Jun yells and comes after just two thrusts, with Sho close behind after a few erratic ruts of inhuman speed. They have not talked about it, yet there is no way Jun would have forgotten about vampire biology and diseases, so Sho lets himself release deep in Jun, his scent now effectively consuming the human and warding off any other vampire who would dare consider looking at Jun the wrong way. The marks Sho have left on Jun, he is sure will be more than enough to send a very bold message.

Pleasure snakes down Sho’s spine, and he shivers through the rest of his intense orgasm.

Jun is a spent heap below him, sweaty and panting frantically, so Sho concentrates to elegantly lie down next to him, on the side. Not ready yet to slip out from inside Jun’s warmth, he lingers a little, to wrap his arms around Jun, to kiss his neck and hum in satisfaction.

“I won’t be able to walk for three days,” Jun pants, trying to turn his head and look at Sho.

“Your own fault for being so damn irresistible.” Sho palms Jun’s abdomen, fingers moving down to touch Jun’s soft cock, sticky as it is.

Jun groans in oversensitivity and twitches away.

“I’ll ask for a bath to be prepared. Gotta get you and I both ready for an important day.”

Sho is nipping at Jun’s ear in affection when Jun pulls further away and Sho thus slips out of him. The action makes Sho groan and Jun moan, presumably at the sensation of wetness slipping out between his legs.

“Don’t worry, vampires don’t carry sexually transmitted diseases either.” Sho does not know if saying so is necessary, but since he was the one to do this to Jun, he feels more than responsible to make Jun feel secure.

Wobbling, Jun sits up in bed, not bothering to hide his nakedness, and Sho blatantly stares, which makes Jun smirk at him with droopy eyes, “I know. Vampires don’t get sick.” Then he leans forward to cradle Sho’s cheek, to kiss the side of his mouth, “We are going to get through this. I have a plan.”

“Managed to lay plans while I was inside you, Jun? That sounds like I didn’t fuck you hard enough.”

“Told you to break me,” Jun winks.

When Jun shuffles to the bathroom slowly, Sho stares at his backside: At his firm ass and strong shoulders, at all the bruises and imprints of teeth and fangs left all over his skin. With Sho’s thoroughness, it appears there is almost more marks than moles on Jun’s body, and Sho feels predatorial pride swelling in his chest.

_Mine. All mine._

 

*

 

Sho knows this is momentary happiness. As soon as he steps out through the mansion doors, he is going to have to pretend that nothing happened between Jun and him, for the sake of protecting Jun just a little longer, until they are ready to face the consequences. Jun is no vampire, and that in itself is the biggest allure about him, but also the biggest challenge for a future relationship.

Iwai is serving them breakfast while he throws knowing looks between Sho and Jun, looking quite pleased, and Sho decides not to comment on it. Let the man have his little pleasures after the help he provided for Sho to escape with Jun yesterday.

The dining table is huge – too huge really – yet Jun sat down on the chair right beside Sho’s with no hesitation, and Sho feels himself basking in the presence of Jun beside him, still so close and familiar. Jun is sipping coffee with a satisfied expression in between nipping on the pumpkin scones the cook made this very morning while Sho was marking Jun as his.

“So,” Jun breaks the silence first, all while Sho has been speculating on how to address the elephant in the room, “What are we going to do now?”

“First off, I have an execution to attend tonight.” Trying and failing to make it sound casual, Sho runs a hand through his hair, “I can’t believe I have to do something like this. As though this feud isn’t killing off enough of us, we destroy each other from within.”

“Sho.” Jun is reaching for him, and Sho lets him guide their lips together, letting Jun’s slow, warm mouth calm the sudden outburst, “This is not some pointless execution,” Jun says as they part, and he continues to remain close to Sho, hand on Sho’s cheek, “You said it yourself; sending a message is important, and if bringing this criminal vampire to justice can maintain status quo for a while longer, isn’t it worth it? I will do anything I can on my end, while you do your best on yours. But when it comes down to it, we are only two individuals. You are not your own army, Sho.”

Sho cannot help but chuckle at this situation. To think that Jun would be the one who tells Sho to get his shit together, not to lose hope just because there is suddenly more at stake.

“Do you think it’s selfish, for me to want to give up on it all to keep you safe?”

“Definitely.” Jun grins, but then leans forward to press their foreheads together, “But I want the same. I want to keep you here, so you don’t go and risk your life again. I cannot stand the thought of people like Akanishi Jin threatening you and making you miserable, while I can do nothing to stop it. But, that’s just how life is, I suppose. And we risk the things, we care about.”

As Jun pulls away, Sho takes Jun’s hand to press a kiss to his palm, inhaling his scent and promising himself to bite Jun here at the next chance he gets, “What are you scheming? You’re going to risk your job, aren’t you?”

“Why, I have been for months now, being around you,” Jun defends himself, “I’m going to finish that article. And then I am going to lose my job,” he sounds awfully confident despite his words, and Sho wonders how long Jun has been planning this, “Although, I will quit myself before that happens. I have a couple of very close friends at work, and I’m counting on being able to convince them to help me publish the article without anyone, not even editors, looking at it. I’m going to cause quite a scandal.”

Jun is grinning wide, looking pleased, but Sho can see the sadness in his brown eyes, see that this is Jun’s ultimate sacrifice, giving up his dream, and for Sho. It is terribly endearing, and Sho feels like the most horrible creature on earth for allowing it to happen, but his love is selfish.

“I will do my best to protect you through this, Jun. I have a few allies too, and this time, I hope you’ll only feel kind eyes on you as they watch you where I can’t. Please allow me to do this much.”

“I guess I cannot deny you that. Promise me these watchers can fight like you?” Jun jests over the rim of his mug.

“No way, they can. No one fights like me.”

“You know.” Sho looks up to find Jun studying the way the coffee moves in his cup, a far-away look in his eyes, “I was attacked by a vampire once in my hometown.”

Uncertainty almost visibly radiates from Jun, and Sho can smell the discomfort on him. He wants to reach out a hand and let Jun know he does not have to tell Sho, but with the way Jun brought it up, he must be determined to let Sho in on the story.

“I was barely a teenager, and as scrawny as I was, there was no way I could defend myself. I was certain I was going to get killed and drained dry that day,” Jun’s half-smile is sad, “For some reason though, and I still to this day wonder why, the vampire froze just before sinking his horrid fangs into me, which gave a nearby police officer time to notice what was going on in the alley, and he shot the vampire. Must’ve been of a lesser kind, because I remember there was a lot of blood and it wasn’t mine.

“Of course, my parents were out of their mind when I was brought home, raging about how vampires should be kept out of town, accusing the police of being incapable,” Jun sighs, still not looking at Sho, “And then they sent me to Tokyo. Probably thinking the human authorities had a tighter grip around the neck of the vampire society in a big city.”

Jun’s dislike of vampires makes so much sense now, Sho reflects, especially given the way his parents handled it, sending Jun away with such a twisted, simple idea of what a vampire is.

“Of course, now, I am all the wiser and know it’s actually illegal for a vampire to just bite and kill a human. Back then, I was sure that’s all there is to vampires.” Finally, Jun looks at Sho, eyes half-apologetic and half-affectionate, “Who knows where I would’ve ended up, if I hadn’t met this stuck-up, money-loaded pureblood vampire, who likes the sound of his own voice too much.”

Sho narrows his eyes and bares his fangs at Jun teasingly, “Well, you learned nothing new, did you? Seeing how you spent the last 7 hours on your back, your blood in my mouth.”

The redness at Jun’s ears is the only give-away of the effect of Sho’s words, aside from the way his heart picks up speed, drumming away in Sho’s ears. Feeling himself going all sappy, Sho leans forward and gives Jun a firm kiss to the side of his mouth, lingering until his hips ache at the awkward position, “Please take care of yourself for me.” He requests, letting his fingers caress Jun’s face and neck, “Don’t share your blood with anyone else.”

“Going all possessive over my blood, Sakurai?”

“The hell I am. You’re mine.”

With Sho’s touch lingering at Jun’s throat, Jun closes his eyes and swallows, “I’m yours.”

 

-

 

_I’m yours._

Thoughts of Jun are eternally distracting at the council table. Every time talks get too long, the younger vampires too fired up and endlessly on loop, Sho’s mind drifts to the party; how devastating Jun looked in his casual shirt and jacket, how his natural scent of spring water mixed so well with his citrusy cologne, how cute his deep black hair looked, newly cut as it was. And more importantly how Jun looked without clothes, naked and spread open under Sho, flushed with arousal and embarrassment despite how Sho had just fed from him, his scent now mixed with and consumed by Sho’s, as close to being mated as possible, and with strands of hair falling over his forehead and framing his face wildly. The contrast even has Sho shifting in his chair, knowing he would much rather be by Jun’s side than here, on the other side of the city, way too far away from his lover – which he now is to Sho. What Jun has most likely not realised is that their exchange of words before parting this morning was an agreement for Sho to continue courting Jun, as any vampire would do with a potential mate.

“Oi Sakurai. I hope you’re ready for the execution.” Akanishi Jin is standing up, grinning toothily, and Sho makes sure to send him a hateful glare.

From the corner of his eye, Sho finds Mizukawa looking at him, while Okada is not present, as he is preparing the execution grounds. From being in regular contact with the female vampire, Sho knows who is going to be covering the event; a friend of Mizukawa’s and well-respected in the journalist circles, she has been covering executions before and knows what to expect. Since Mizukawa has so far been on Sho’s side, letting him know on several occasions that she will help the ordeal to be over as quietly as possible, with no slipups and with Sho leaving the grounds as popular with the public as he was before, telling him not to worry, he feels less anxious than Akanishi probably wishes he was.

“Why, I am, thank you for asking.” Sho answers dryly, expecting that to be it, but of course Akanishi is not letting him escape that easily.

“And what does your little human think of it? Would he still want to fuck a butcher?”

Sho releases a loud snarl without noticing, instincts flaring up, and he might as well have announced loudly that he has mated with Jun, given the reactions surrounding the table. Only protective mates react like this to insults aimed at their other half, and Sho has just given himself away with no other options, since nature is way stronger than sensible thought. He prays that Jun pulls through with his plan and stays safe today, because these high-born vampires are not happy.

Murao is almost purple with how he is likely holding back his reaction and failing, Akanishi is smug as hell and Takizawa is poking Domoto in the ribs, looking half incredulous.

“I hardly think that’s relevant at this table, Akanishi-kun,” Sho challenges, feeling a ripple down his spine, his body readying for a fight.

“And we don’t have the patience or time for such crude language,” Mizukawa stands up with a stern voice and clipped, iron-coloured eyes, “We better get to the execution grounds, Sakurai-san. We’re meeting Mizuhara-san in half an hour and she wants the execution to take place during sunset.”

“How romantic,” Akanishi mocks.

Sho supposes it is not odd for the young vampire to hate Sho even more today, seeing as his mate flirted with and was rejected by the host himself at the party. At least Sho can feel smug about that, though he is sure he would have snapped Akanishi’s spine in two without hesitation, had it been the other way around.

-

Mizuhara Kiko is a gazelle of a woman, beautiful with long legs and a bright smile. She has slim limbs, but Sho bets she is tougher than she looks, given her success and tenacity in her career. Her short fangs flash like her light pink eyes when Sho shakes her hand. Mizukawa has told Sho much about Kiko prior to this first meeting, and Sho has heard her voice over the phone too, for prior arrangements, yet it is another thing entirely to meet her in person. Sho is curious to see what magic she can conjure with her abilities, and how she plans to spin this trial to Sho’s advantage.

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Sakurai-san,” she greets him, “I’ve read much about you and your achievements, even watched you on tv.”

“I take it you know exactly how to bring out his charms and highlight his cheekbones then, Kiko-chan,” Mizukawa jests.

 “Absolutely. More importantly though,” her smile fades a little and her brow wrinkles, “I know how to keep you safe from the public. Those who wish to bring you down with this are going to lose, I promise you.”

The declaration is awfully touching. Here he is, meeting the female journalist for the very first time and yet she appears to be fully supportive of him, willing to help despite how they barely know each other, and Sho is just about to kill another vampire. He reminds himself to appreciate Mizukawa more from now on; she has always supported him and his views, and despite how he has told others to respect her, it seems he has not himself realised her true potential as an ally until now.

“Kiko-chan agrees on many of your general ideas and opinions, Sakurai-san, we discuss it rather often. She too, believes we should fight to understand the humans more. In spite of their short lives and short-sightedness, it is advantageous for us to be allied to them. We can succeed together where we fail separately.” Mizukawa explains to Sho, while Mizuhara nods in agreement.

“I’ve heard rumours of your cooperation with a young human journalist, Sakurai-san. I would very much like to meet him, should you allow it. A combined media source of humans and vampires would be revolutionary, and we could teach everyone so much.”

It seems Sho’s and Jun’s attempt at keeping their meetings a secret, the fact that they have been working together, has failed. There is only one person who could have been the one to let the information slip, someone who has recently proved that Sho can no longer trust him, but Sho does not want to waste time regretting what has happened. He knows, more so now than before, whom to trust and not trust in the council. He has made new enemies for sure, yet here today, he has gained a new ally in return.

Sho allows the idea of Kiko and Jun’s combined forces of power in the media to uplift his mind, he allows the thought to be tucked further in and saved, should both he and Jun make it through the next couple of days in one piece. If Jun loses his job, he still needs to work to live, and Kiko may just end up being a lifeline.

“I will remember that, Mizuhara-san. He has his own problems to struggle with currently, but I will mention your wish to him at the first given opportunity,” Sho promises, which earns him a big smile.

“Great. Now, that that’s settled,” Mizuhara brings her hands together, “I will show you around on the grounds, let you know of the cameras, the angles and the overall idea. We have discussed this already, but there are a few adjustments I’d like to go over with you, and should you have any inputs or ideas yourself, I am all ears.”

The execution grounds really are nothing close to what they sound like. The area has been many things through the ages, from wide platforms in front of the sea, to cruel, cold basements. In this century, it is a wide expanse of land, covered in gravel, for the earth to feed on the blood spreading after the acts of justice, as most of the individuals in the council would call them. In the middle of the square of gravel stands an obsidian pillar, no taller than reaching Sho’s waist – it marks the location of the person sentenced to death, serving little purpose but being ominous. Shielding the area off from prying eyes and curious strangers is an office building as well as wide, bleak walls. Most people know what goes on behind them, never to witness the occurrences except for on television, and that should be more than enough for most. The office building is naturally used for the paperwork and mental preparation for those who need it. The ones sentenced are kept in the small basement of the building, a place Sho has been to only a few times and remember not so fondly; he is thankful he does not need to go there tonight, as Okada will be the one to bring Yasuda to Sho’s hand.

Mizuhara shows Sho exactly where she wants the cameras to stand, to face Sho and Yasuda against a backdrop of skyscrapers. The weather is clear and favourable, and the female vampire is thrilled to let Sho in on how the red and purple hues of the sunset are going to reflect perfectly off of Sho’s dark hair, and make him stand out in his black clothes.

Sho is wearing nothing but black; a high-neck sleeveless shirt – sleekly hugging his muscular upper body and collarbones – as well as the loose black trousers of Okada’s unit of agents. It is an outfit designed for the executioner, the face and acting figure of the vampire investigation team. Sho is not a part of the unit, he is more like a special member, present only to bring about judgement. And it has been the job of a Sakurai for generations. However much Sho despises it, he does not wish for the role to fall on anyone else, and even he is aware of how good he is at this. The outfit is black not only for Sho to appear dark and powerful, but to hide the blood that is bound to end up splattered all over Sho by the time he finishes – there is no reason for the outfit to be a colour that makes the situation more morbid than it already is. The lack of sleeves allows for easy movement, which Sho is going to need to hold down the criminal vampire and take away his life like any animal up for slaughter.

“Oh, and I love your hair, Sakurai-san, perfect for what I have in mind. The cruel, dark and dangerous is becoming on you.”

Sho runs his hand over the side of his head, feeling the close-cut trimming there. This afternoon, before meeting with Mizuhara, Sho went and got a sinister undercut, with his long bangs now styled to wave over his forehead. He does not particularly like being a butcher, yet he knows exactly how to take on the role. Aside from finding his seat in the council, this is what he was born to do, and he does not mind playing the part. It will be interesting to see how Mizuhara and her media team attempt to diminish the common vampires’ suspicion and distrust through the screen, for the general public to support what Sho is forced to do tonight. Most will undoubtedly see Sho’s father standing on the podium, despite the pureblood being long dead. That is what Sho believes they think; a Sakurai is just that, an executioner, which Sho’s family name tells for him. Few know Sho personally, and the vampires’ long lifespans ensure that the rage and fear of old ancestors are passed on to younger generations. Sho’s only – and realistic – hope for tonight is to avoid the present distrust at purebloods to grow deeper. Today is not the day to try and erase his legacy.

 

Okada meets up with them in one of the rooms of the conference building to give Sho his report, after Mizuhara finishes showing Sho around, and Sho uses the opportunity to get some requests on the table for Mizuhara, concerning the way the execution will be portrayed.

“I don’t want to obscure the main purpose of this. I want every vampire to know that I did this because Yasuda-san is a criminal. He endangered an innocent lesser vampire as well as both the human and vampire civilians, by turning the man on a whim. Should the human society be watching tonight too, that approach will only be favourable.” Sho requests, and he is utterly determined with this. He has never lied to the public, and he is not going to hide the truth of the current state of the peace treaty with the humans. A move like the one made tonight can turn out fatal, if not executed right.

“That won’t be a problem. Leave it to me,” Mizuhara promises, and her eyes flicker briefly to Okada. Sho recognises admiration in her bright stare and holds back a wry smile. She then bows and leaves Sho to speak with the other man.

As soon as the door closes, Sho rubs a palm down his face, “What an absolute mess.”

“What is?” Okada is watching Sho with dark, professional eyes, both hands behind his back.

“The council is falling apart. You weren’t there today, but people are throwing mud at each other, focusing on small things, the actions we take in private, instead of discussing what matters. Which is the treaty with the human council. Tell me, Okada-kun, am I at fault for stirring things up?”

“You mean the business you’ve been up to with that human journalist?”

Sho nods.

“That is very likely to have played a part. The others are suspicious, because they don’t know what you have been doing with this human. They don’t know which secrets you’ve been sharing and whether it reaches the ears of the human council. If you’re asking for my honest opinion, I think your recent… choices have clarified which of the members trust you, and who doesn’t.” Okada’s voice remains rather neutral, though Sho is in no doubt that the vampire is voicing his true thoughts.

“And what about you? Do you still trust me?”

There is a slight pull of a smile at the corner of Okada’s mouth, “You have never given me any reason not to trust you, Sakurai-san. You are everything that your father wasn’t, and I respect you for that. I think you will find you have at least three faithful allies with you today.”

Sho studies the look in Okada’s eyes, back straightening a little, not knowing how he can ever show his appreciation for this man in front of him, who has been by Sho’s side since he was young and continuously pushed by his father, who did what he could to subdue Sho’s obstinance.

“I will leave you to prepare, now. This evening will be over quick, and I am certain you will do as well as you always do, Sakurai-san,” Okada bows, “I will see you in half an hour, by the pillar.”

-

The evening is indeed eerie. The windows of the building in front of Sho reflect the last rays of sunlight escaping the skyscrapers and cast bright pillars of light against the brown gravel beneath the feet of journalists, cameramen and pretentious high-born vampires; all facing the sun, facing a figure of black against a canvas in darkening pink. Anyone superstitutious who happens to be looking up at the sky this very evening of late spring would say that blood will be spilled tonight, and they would not be wrong. Sho stands in the middle of it all, as a hand of justice in a rabid community that is tearing itself apart. In front of him, the sentenced vampire stands still, hands cuffed in front of him, not trying to run anywhere – he knows, that with the first step he takes away from Sho, the pureblood is going to end it all earlier than planned. He does not stand a chance of escape.

Eyes shining, Sho turns his gaze towards Mizukawa, standing beside the young female vampire who has set this all up, and Mizukawa’s forehead is wrinkled in a frown, but she nods when Sho catches her gaze. And so Sho steps forward, rounding the vampire in front of him – no lesser vampire, but no high-born either, a man who has fought for his ideals and a decent position in life, leaving a family behind that Sho has avoided all contact with – to block the view of the cameras and unlock the restraints on his wrists. Sho says nothing, but he feels a violent tremble through his hold on the vampire, when their eyes lock, and the sentenced male witnesses the true colour of Sho’s iris. No words of consolation pass between them, nor pleading, as though the execution is but an unspoken agreement between executioner and criminal.

As soon as he is behind the vampire again, Sho feels the telltale jagged stabs of pain through his fingertips as his hidden claws grow longer over a human set of nails – strong, brutal-looking daggers of cells that Sho only lets out for the purpose of killing. Back in feudal Japan, he rarely sheathed them, and only in the last 200 years or so, has he fully mastered hiding them, so no one but the people in front of him now knows that he too, like any other Sakurai, is born with monstrous claws. In front of the small audience, it takes but a second for Sho to move into place – hidden from view of the sentenced vampire whose eyes are staring straight forward – in his truest form, one he so rarely lets anyone see.

Just before everything comes down to one horrendous display of power, Sho thinks of Jun. What would he think, if he saw Sho like this? He may have told Sho it is necessary, may have shown his support, but has he even considered what a true pureblood vampire looks like? To a human, Sho is a monster. Not because of the claws, the two sets of fangs filling his mouth, nor the blazing eyes or the strength in his blood, but because of what Sho does.

It is over quickly, and the emotional part of Sho is detached, feelings shriveled to a numbing sensation, when the carnal instincts of his body take over. Claws set deep into skin and grab at the tube of blood and oxygen embedded in flesh below bone and muscle. When Sho’s muscles pull, he feels the strain in his arm, feels the resistance give way, and as he blinks, the world gets painted in red. There is blood everywhere, or maybe some of it just got into Sho’s vision, running down his arm from the muscle and arteries in his hand, by his feet, on the sky. The earth is starved and swallows most of it greedily, bathing in it and sucking up its colour. The back of a lifeless body is the only evidence of what Sho’s deepest animalistic instincts enjoy, a reminder of what he so often excelled at all those years ago, when he was but a weapon. A faint voice in the back of his head tells him to face a camera lens, and he does, eyes piercing through to whoever witnessed this, even more detached than Sho as they are, behind their screens of glass and false pretence. Habit lets him know to turn away, and he does, aware that the entertainment is over, that the mass of hungry watchers has grown bored, leaving in groups to go home and remember this evening as one amongst many, hardly particular in any way. Only after two steps taken away from the body, does Sho force his claws to loosen, for the throat of a vampire, ripped out gruesomely, to fall to the ground, to be taken away by the undertakers later; those that wipe away the worst stains but leave the evidence, stolen as it is by the very earth on which they walk.

Perhaps the now dead vampire was the clever one, exploiting fools to take him away from a place that is only greed and envy, hardly a place to thrive for the ones compassionate.

Sho’s hands start shaking when he is alone, and his mind opens again, and Jun is all he can think of. With the blood on his hands, in his mouth with his fangs digging into the flesh behind his lips, Sho cannot shake the feeling that these hands held Jun so close, that his fangs were used to pierce the fine skin of Jun’s neck, to fill Sho’s mouth with Jun’s blood. Knowing there is no way he can let Jun go now, his selfishness will not let him, Sho vows to use himself to slay only those who seek to harm his lover. With the hope that Jun will not turn his eyes away from a monster. A kinslayer.

 

*

 

_You’re mine._

Honestly, what has become of the world for Jun to have changed this much? He wants to not think about it, to just let things happen, but deep down, he is marvelling at the fact that he is now so close to Sho, allowing him to do… All those things he did to Jun. Though he trusts Sho, he is scared; scared of his own feelings, how much he realises he wants the pureblood, of how things have progressed so fast all of a sudden, he is scared of the unknown because he knows very little of vampire customs when it comes to two people… courting? Jun is not even sure of the word. Because of it, he is not sure what Sho wants of him, despite the bold, possessive words and how Jun just gave in and accepted them.

Leaving Sho out of the equation, Jun still wants to do the right thing. And so, he does not even hesitate in his plan of publishing his article and throwing shame on a lot of ignorant humans, who have been blind for too long. He has been amongst them, and Jun hopes that will help him get his point across to even the most stubborn group. His actions will cost him his job though, and to lessen the damage, he plans to hand in his resignation papers as soon as he is sure the article will be published, as soon as it cannot be taken back.

It is Saturday, and Jun spends the entire day and much of the night writing his article, staying home and only leaving the laptop to get coffee and cook dinner for himself and Aiba. Aiba, who looks close to bursting with questions and then becomes very wide-eyed when he gets close enough to spot the countless hickies and bitemarks on Jun’s neck. He does not comment, but Jun knows he is definitely going to as soon as Jun closes his laptop. Given the time they have spent together, the other man knows not to disturb Jun in the middle of work, no matter the situation. Even if Jun has clearly let someone bite him and mark him all over – which must be quite a contrast to the usual Jun who is stoic about relationships and too aloof.

Sunday is spent editing. And worrying for Sho. Jun takes a break to find the websites of vampire newspapers, and reads everything he comes across, Sho naturally stealing all the front pages and headlines. Jun relaxes more and more with every article he reads though, his worst fears not coming true. Through a journalist’s point of view, Jun reaches the conclusion that none of the articles he found will affect Sho negatively. Jun knows what narration and the angle of a story can do to a person, but it seems someone has done a thorough job to keep this clean, to make it seem as though what Sho did was necessary to punish a criminal and signal good intentions and willingness to cooperate with the human council. Both things of which Jun and Sho discussed together. It appears Sho still has at least one friend in the council, and Jun is beyond relieved. There will always be scepticism aimed at those in control, and the councils are law and politics, so naturally, the vampire public will be cautious to believe anything a council member says and does. This however, appears to be a small victory in Sho’s favour.

To know that Sho got through his mission unharmed gives Jun hope and encouragement to succeed with his part of the plan. And this vampire execution is definitely going to fill up a paragraph in Jun’s article.

When he looks through the article again, he makes sure to write a greater deal of what he learned from Sho during the first couple of interviews, leaving out all the personal things shared as the two of them grew to trust each other, to care and to want to share their secrets and history. Jun writes nothing about Sho’s father, other than mentioning his name and the work he passed onto Sho, he makes no mention of Sho’s mother and how she had loved a human, yet was forced to marry a Sakurai, and he leaves out what went down with Ninomiya, and everything that took place after that. Only by the end of the article does he reveal to the patient and interested reader, that Sho is closer to Jun’s heart than anyone else has ever been. Jun cannot remember the last time he trusted this much.

Looking through his article one final time, Jun dwells on certain paragraphs of importance to him and the readers. Those particular sentences need to be perfect – Jun needs to look at them and know deep within himself that he could not have done any better:

_“The population of vampires in Japan is 1 to 3 to that of humans, but they are proven to be vastly more powerful than the human race; stronger, faster, with greater stamina and resilience. I have come to learn that they rarely catch diseases, they live longer, and some vampires are close to immortal beings. They are not human, but they are not animals either. So, what is it that causes the contempt for these creatures that many of us are guilty of? Humans have always longed and sought for immortality, but is that it? Combined with the fear of the unknown and hate of the ones stronger, are we fighting for territory like any dominant animal would? Does that make us less human then, or more animal? Vampires have been a fixed variable for centuries, and no one is certain of where they came from. They are not only habitants of Japan, but of the whole world, so is it safe to refer to them as just one race? Or are there several species?_

_“Since I came to Tokyo as a child of 13 years, I have feared vampires, their powers terrifying me and the thought of them would always send a chill down my spine. But the race has also intrigued me. I am no biologist, I have no knowledge of the properties of DNA, so I could never have pursued answers to questions of that sort. But as a journalist, I knew I could investigate their history, their abilities and try to figure out what makes them tick._

_“My first meeting with the famous Sakurai Sho was not a pleasant one. Despite his charming demeanour, his sophisticated eyes and calm smile, I kept waiting for fangs to show and for the vampire to attack me. Yet throughout the interview, I realised what knowledge a pureblood vampire truly holds. Sakurai Sho, 432 years of age, has seen much more than any living human on earth. In the year of 1586, we find ourselves in the Sengoku period, only four years before Japan’s unification. That afternoon, in my office in Tokyo, I realised that 432 years of age means that this existence has seen and lived through more than I could ever comprehend. He has seen the invasion of Korea, of China, has seen civil war and famine, he has witnessed the Europeans invade Japan, has participated in the Japanese war with the Soviet Union, with the United States, has survived the bombings of our country and the aftermath. He has seen Japan at its best and at its worst. If nothing else, this vampire is a source of information and history no book can ever hope to match. And is that not enough to respect him?_

_“I do not expect the general Japanese population to suddenly turn to love these vampires who walk the same soil, who watch the same sky above as humans do. It takes a certain will to overcome one’s fears, one’s envy, it takes time to understand and embrace the unknown._

_“I still cannot fully understand the change in myself, and yet I hope you, the reader, have at least stayed with me this far, for me to confess that I have come to love a vampire, someone I found partly intimidating and disgusting upon first meeting. Why? Probably because I learned to see past that veil of ignorance and hate, that became so interwoven with my history and my very being as I grew up. The fear has been passed down from my parents, through generations of the Matsumoto family, I reckon. If you made it this far in the article, I hope you will allow me one last conceited assertion: History and knowledge cannot be erased. It can, however, be altered.”_

-

He refers to it as an emergency, when he asks Shun and Toma to come to work three hours prior to everyone else on Monday. With Shun’s charm, it should be no problem for him to get the office key and the password for the alarm. They need to be clever with this, and Jun needs to explain his plan, his motive, the result he knows is inevitable. And he also needs time to answer the questions the two men are undoubtedly going to ask when they see Jun’s neck. Really, despite how Jun asked for it, Sho’s marks of possession are turning out to be a pain the ass. Bastard probably wanted people to inquire about it.

It is 4 am., and Toma looks like an undead – not a vampire mind you – with his thermal cup of coffee and a baseball cap, “Man, I know we’re good friends and all, Jun-kun, but you better have a bloody good explanation for this,” he grumbles, but he sounds more sad than annoyed at being forced out of bed this early.

Shun, on the other hand, looks as fresh and crisp as always, and Jun reckons he has probably already been to the gym, had a filling breakfast and drove his bike to the office.

“Let’s get into the building first, and I will tell you everything, please?”

Shun is quiet as he unlocks the door, but Jun can feel his eyes piercing through the back of Jun’s neck all the way up in the elevator, and he knows that Shun has noticed the marks. Despite how Jun told himself both Shun and Toma would understand, he feels the tell-tale prickle of anxiety well over him, afraid that his friend will be angry with him, disappointed, regardless of Shun’s view of vampires. Somehow, it almost feels worse because Jun’s stance has always clashed with Shun’s, who has been open to learning more about vampires, interested in their antics and their story. But how far does that wish to understand extend? Jun has not considered whether understanding means acceptance, especially if Jun were to engage in a relationship with a vampire. It is a far jump from interest in another race, another creature, to acceptance of them like a fellow human.

They reach the lobby, and Jun turns to face his friends, the USB with his article protectively cradled against his chest, and he is about to let it all loose, when Shun beats him to it.

“Did he hurt you?”

The question surprises and startles Jun. He had not expected that to be Shun’s first inquiry, had somehow not imagined that would be the first obstacle to face. Jun knows what went down at the vampire community yesterday, has been thinking of nothing but Sho, wanting to contact him to make sure he is unharmed, however, Jun held himself back to focus on sealing his part of the bargain; what the two of them have been aiming for from the beginning. He was hoping to send the article to publishing, before hell went loose.

But seeing the look in Shun’s eyes – worry more so than anger, reminds Jun that he and Sho are not alone in this. Like Sho has an ally in Ninomiya, Jun has Shun and Toma.

“No. No, he didn’t. Of course, he didn’t,” Jun’s eyes flicker nervously, “Why would you say that?”

If possible, Shun’s eyes grow a tad warier, “He drank from you. Did you give him permission? Or was it forced?”

“O-of course it wasn’t forced!” Jun splutters to explain, in his hurry falling over the words. He does not want Shun to think badly of Sho, to think less of Jun, that Jun would let a vampire force themselves on him, “I…” He runs his hand over the puncture wound below his ear, “I wanted it. I suppose. I mean, I did. I asked for it, even…”

Why is it so much harder to tell something like this to a close friend, when Jun knows Shun is just looking out for him? But without Jun having a family by his side, Shun has seemingly taken it upon himself to look after Jun, ever since they met as children, and Jun does not want to abuse the trust they have built between them, he does not want Shun to look at him differently. Though part of Jun hopes Shun knows he does not always have to look out for Jun, who can make his own choices – like putting his life into the hands of a lover. He is about to let Shun know this, but then it hits him.

“You think I brought you two here because Sakurai-san attacked me.”

Shun’s frown loosens a little, as if Jun stated something which has been weighing on his heart, “Jun-kun, I’m sorry man, I didn’t mean-” Shun rubs his neck, and Jun hurries to wave at his apology.

“No… No, it’s fine. I think I hadn’t realised what you might think, being called in this early only to see me like this. I should’ve covered the marks, but I didn’t want to hide anything from you either.”

Toma steps forward then to clasp Jun’s shoulder, tone reassuring, and Jun’s heart stops beating so frantically, “Don’t worry about it, Shun is just a big motherhen. But you do realise, you need to tell us what happened for you to have such a change of heart. Really, I barely recognise the aloof Jun from a few months ago,” Toma smiles hesitantly, “Does your whatever-it-is you have with Sakurai-san have anything to do with the delay of your vampire article?”

“That’s actually the reason, I brought you two here. The article.” Jun is relieved to get back on track, they do not have all the time in the world after all, and the disclosure about Sho can wait. The article cannot. If they delay, Jun’s boss may catch scent of what is about to go down, and then Jun will never succeed in publishing what he wrote, “I need you two to help me publish it without any of the editors or Kitagawa-san seeing it first. If we succeed, there will be plenty of time for me to tell you all about Sho-san and me.” Jun refers to Sho by his first name on purpose, insinuating how close the two of them have become.

“Do I want to ask _why_ no one can read this article before publishing?” Toma asks quietly.

“Let’s just say it’s going to cause a stir, and it will get me fired.” Shun and Toma both exclaim a loud “What!” in reaction, and Jun cannot help a humourless smile, because he predicted this sort of reaction, “I will hand in my resignation letter before that happens though. When Kitagawa comes in at 7, I will visit him in his office. It will be incomprehensible to him, and I expect a small fight, until later today when he most definitely finds my article in our paper. Should the worst thing happen, and he decides to withdraw the issue from the shelves, I just hope enough people will have bought the paper by then.”

“That means…” Toma looks just as sad as Aiba did, when Jun told him about the plan yesterday, “This is your last day in the office?”

“I’m really sorry for throwing this on you so late,” Jun feels an ache in his chest at the dejected looks from his two best friends, “But I needed to keep this quiet. I also only made my final decision a couple of days ago. And before any of you starts to argue-” Shun has opened his mouth, but Jun shaking his head stops him, “I am not going to change the way I feel. Even if Sho-san wasn’t involved in this, I’d want to do the right thing. And this is the right thing.”

Jun licks his lips, still holding the USB close, while Shun and Toma throw each other a glance, as though they try to find the answer to this madness in each other’s eyes.

“Jesus Christ, Jun…” Shun shakes his head, resting his hands on his hips, “This is quite the bombshell you just dropped.”

“I understand if you’re disappointed in me-”

“Not disappointed, no. Far from it. I didn’t think you had this much _balls_.” A grin flashes over Shun’s face, although his eyes still look sad, “Little Jun-kun trying to change the world.”

“Please don’t call me that,” Jun rolls his eyes as Shun comes over to throw an arm over his shoulders, “It’s embarrassing.”

“Oh, you owe me a lot of embarrassment after this. This big a favour requires payback.”

Jun can feel how the heavy mood has lifted, see how his friends are now smiling a little, and when Toma pulls Jun into a sudden hug, he knows they will forgive him eventually, for the secrets and his own insecurity which has made it take so long for him to trust Sho, and to make up his mind. If this plan works, Jun is actually a little excited to tell them all about Sho, and the feelings Jun holds for the vampire.

The two others follow Jun when he makes his way to the editor’s office, which Jun prays is unlocked.

“You’re giving up your dream, Jun-kun, aren’t you?” Toma’s voice is quiet in the dark, and Jun swallows.

“I guess this office is my dream. Or was. I used to sympathize with Kitagawa’s philosophy and way of thinking, and I admired him a great deal,” when Jun tries the doorknob, the door opens without the need of violence or struggle and it is another obstacle cleared, “Now I just think he’s narrowsighted and a little pathetic.”

There is a splutter behind him, and Jun smiles a little himself, because that is undoubtedly Shun trying to hold back his laughter, “I almost wish this place was wired. Imagine the look on Kitagawa-san’s face if he knew his favorite journalist talks about him like this behind his back. Actually, I think you’re onto something though, beneath his professional exterior, he is richly flawed.”

Jun looks back to smirk at Shun, “Too bad I can’t stick around to see it.”

“We’ll tell you all about his reaction to your resignation. I think he’s going to throw a fit on some poor intern.”

“Nah, I reckon he’s just going to be a walking thundercloud for weeks, giving us more to do,” Toma argues with a great sigh, “And I hardly slept tonight. You owe us big time, Jun-kun.”

“I don’t mind.”

And he really does not. Toma and Shun listen attentively to Jun’s quick, and yet thorough, explanation of the plan, for the article to get done and sent out with today’s paper, and Jun discovers afterwards how much he enjoys planning things and organising a team. Maybe there is something for him in the future related to managing. He leaves that idea in the back of his mind to stew.

By 7 am. and the arrival of several of their colleagues, Jun has settled in the lobby sofa with a cup of freshly brewed coffee in hand and a light scarf around his neck, Shun and Toma on either side of him. They completed each step of the plan so quickly and efficiently that none of them are sweaty anymore, and Jun even had time to go get breakfast for them as well as for the group arriving in the elevator now. Naturally, Kitagawa stops with a questioning look on his face, seemingly ready to scold them all for doing nothing, until Jun tells him about coffee and breakfast.

When everyone has settled into their individual stalls and offices and Shun and Toma have winked and offered Jun the best of luck, he makes his way to Kitagawa’s office.

He is actually a little excited, feeling that thrill of a challenge like he is a tightrope-walker facing the last performance of his career. Thoughts of Sho fill his mind, the way he whispered in Jun’s ear, praised him and provoked him, pointed out all the characteristics he adores about Jun. Jun is impulsive and bold, curious, and he wants to be unafraid, like Sho. He may leave his career behind, may never be able to find a position in another newspaper company, but that is ok. He has accomplished much here.

From now on, Jun will search for a new dream, one that he hopes will include Sho. The thought actually makes him feel elated.

 

-

 

The same evening finds Sho visiting Jun’s apartment, and this time, Jun allows him to come inside, only to instantly be enveloped in Sho’s strong arms.

“Jun.” Sho’s warm breath is a comfort by Jun’s neck, and Jun tightens his arms around Sho’s shoulders. A lot has happened in only 36 hours, “I missed you. Couldn’t stop thinking of you.”

Beneath the affection, Jun can hear a slight tremble in Sho’s voice, of perhaps relief and release of build-up anxiety.

“I’m ok.” Jun whispers against Sho’s shoulder, “Took them all by surprise, so stunned they didn’t even utter a word when I left.” They are still standing in the genkan, the door half-closed.

“I’m glad to hear that. Are you ok?” Taking Jun’s face between his hands, Jun is immediately moved by Sho’s concern – Sho knows how much this job meant to Jun.

Taking a deep breath, Jun nods, “I’ll find something else to do. I don’t regret this choice. If we can somehow manage to affect just a handful of people, to loosen the situation between vampires and humans, my job is a very small sacrifice made.”

Sho closes his eyes momentarily, pulling Jun closer so their lips brush against each other, “You’re so brave. You never cease to amaze me. My mate.” The last word is a mere breath, and Jun wonders if he misheard, if it was a slip of Sho’s tongue. He has come across the concept of mates when reading up on vampires, and Sho mentioned it at the party – though Akanishi and Shibasaki appeared far from as close as mates should be – but Jun wonders what it really means, whether its possible for a vampire and a human to be… Mates. Jun realises he may really want that.

Leaving speculation for later, Jun moves them further into the apartment, and Sho does not let go of Jun – holding his hand or his waist – while Jun shows him everything except for Aiba’s room. Jun’s roommate is still at work and will be given a proper introduction when he gets home in a couple of hours.

“I promised Aiba-kun I’d cook tonight.”

“I seem to recall you also promised _me_ something ahead of your promise to Aiba-san.” Sho teasingly nibbles at Jun’s neck, “What if I want omurice?”

“Well,” Jun turns around to throw his arms around Sho’s neck, grinning as he does so, “Then you’re lucky I didn’t forget my promise to you.”

“We’re having omurice?”

Kissing Sho seems to be enough of an affirmation, and when Jun is backed up against the wall, he nearly forgets all about that execution Sho has attended. He reminds himself to ask later tonight, enjoying the moment as Sho’s hand sneaks up under his shirt.

-

Aiba is quite quick to open up to Sho, so quick in fact that Jun feels a little betrayed. So much for Aiba’s threat of violence should Sho try to hurt Jun. Now he is smiling and laughing and drowning Sho in so many questions about everything, waving his arms around and almost dropping his food once or twice in his excitement, until Jun breaks in.

“Please do swallow your food before you talk, Aiba-kun,” Jun snaps, only earning a wider smile from Aiba and a squeeze on his thigh from Sho, “You’re hardly giving Sho-san time to eat his own food.”

“Sorry, MatsuJun,” Aiba does actually look apologetic, “I know you’ve been looking forward to have him taste your cooking.”

Jun feels himself go red, “Hey.” Yes, Aiba has definitely been waiting to betray Jun as soon as Jun brought along his lover. No way, he would ever have saved Jun, he just wants to satisfy his curiosity.

Unexpectedly, Sho defends Aiba, placing a kiss on Jun’s cheek as he does so, “It tastes amazing, Jun. I wouldn’t have forgotten to tell you, no matter how many things Aiba-san could think of asking me. I’ve never had omurice this good before.”

“Really?” Damn, he is too easy, and his mouth is quicker than his head, “Even if it doesn’t look as pretty as I wanted it to?” the egg on top of the rice is considerably messier than Jun planned for it to be. Omurice really is not as easy to make as it appears.

“Yes, really.” Sho is smiling and looking at Jun like they are the only two beings in the room, and Jun melts.

“So, MatsuJun. How does it feel to have your blood sucked?”

“I’m gonna kill you.”

“I’m just curious! I mean no offence, really!”

Despite his continuous attempts at convincing Jun it is merely for curiosity and for the sake of ‘science’ – whatever Aiba’s idea of science is, Jun does not want to know – Jun chases him away from the table just as Aiba stuffs the rest of his food in his mouth, making the poor man splutter out some of the rice when he shrieks charmingly in alarm and runs to his room.

“Poor guy, having to deal with you every day.”

“Don’t you dare start too, or there will be no dessert.” Jun warns Sho with a deadly glare. Jun may have been a little harsh, but Aiba should have had more tact; this is the first time Jun brings Sho to his place, and only for Aiba to steal all of Sho’s attention. That is hardly fair to Jun.

Sho pauses with the spoon halfway to his mouth, “There’s dessert?”

“Well, if you promise to be quiet,” Jun leans forward to brush away an invisible stray grain of rice on the side of Sho’s plush mouth and holds Sho’s eyes prisoner with a flirtatious gaze, “I can offer a taste in bed.”

Sho’s dilating pupils and elongating fangs is more than enough for Jun to know Sho has caught on and accepted Jun’s offer.

In the end though, Jun is the one having trouble keeping quiet, only managing with Sho’s hand pressing down over his mouth to muffle his moans of pleasure when Sho buries himself inside Jun repeatedly.

 

They have gotten past the most urgent need, that craving to be close to each other and find pleasure in the other’s body sated for now, though Jun finds himself addicted to touching Sho, feeling his warmth enveloping Jun, as it is now.

It is very early in the morning, proven by the greyish light passing through the curtains, and Jun suspects he has awoken this early because of the pressing wish to know about Sho’s current situation. He had wanted to ask as soon as Sho arrived at Jun’s apartment yesterday, but he was not given the opportunity. Not until now, when he feels Sho stir behind him, the arms around Jun’s middle tightening.

“What’s wrong?” Sho’s voice is grainy and muffled from sleep, and Jun smiles where Sho cannot see it. It is incredible how the vampire is always aware of Jun’s mood, and is somehow able to perceive when Jun cannot find rest.

Jun knows Sho must be okay, or he would have said something now, he would have let Jun know, had he been in trouble.

“You never told me,” Jun starts, knowing he should let Sho go back to sleep, yet selfishly craving this information before he can relax, “How the execution went.”

Sho inhales deeply behind Jun, and Jun feels Sho’s legs stretching out between his own; Sho is throwing off the tendrils of sleep, “It went as an execution goes. Yasuda-san was executed, killed. I ripped out his throat.”

Jun swallows. Is this Sho’s way of putting Jun off? Of making him uncomfortable enough to stop asking questions? If so, Jun is too stubborn to give in that easily.

“You know I didn’t refer to how you killed him, Sho. What of the media? What’s your standing now in the community?” Jun tries to turn around to face Sho, but the vampire tightens his hold, for Jun to stay in place, “I want to know if you’re going to be ok.”

He feels it when Sho digs his nose into the crook of Jun’s neck, nuzzles the skin there and inhales. It sends warm shivers through Jun, not in a sexual way, but making him feel safe and appreciated, and Jun grabs Sho’s hand to bring it to his lips.

“Don’t worry about me, love,” Sho whispers, words still slow, “It seems, I have more allies than I thought. Someone came to my aid, and my reputation remains intact. Actually, she may turn out to be able to help us both.”

“Who is it? How is she going to help?”

A deep chuckle in his ear has Jun flush in appreciation for this creature, who is watching over him, caring for him, like Jun does in turn. Despite his humor, Jun detects hints of something negative in Sho’s voice; regret? Sadness? Furthermore, Jun cannot place the reason for it. Does it have something to do with the execution, or is it something else?

“Go back to sleep, Jun. We’ll discuss this in the morning. It can wait.”

Jun really wants to complain and refuse, but he knows Sho is right, and there is no reason to be an obstinate child. Even if Sho were to tell him now, they cannot do anything about it before morning comes, and so it is better to face it on sufficient sleep.

Jun grumbles and wiggles back against Sho, Sho’s chest now pressed against him, keeping him from feeling cold, “Fine.”

A kiss is placed in his hair, Sho’s smell soothing and making Jun feel safe, “Good boy.”

-

It is over coffee, that Sho finally discloses the identity of his new ally as well as why she may prove a help to Jun. Jun has cooked them light omelettes with miso soup for breakfast, and Sho is digging into the food like a starved animal, making noises of pleasure that has Jun blushing.

“This is really good,” he keeps saying, and Jun must admit he would not mind cooking for Sho three times a day, if this is the kind of reaction he gets. It gives Jun quite the confidence boost, almost equal to that which he feels in bed when Sho breaks apart inside him.

Instead of replying, Jun yawns widely, stretching his arms behind his head to feel his joints pop. His limbs have suffered at the expense of Sho not being able to keep his hands to himself this morning, and Jun is taking pleasure in making fun of him for it, even if Jun secretly loves the attention. Even good food cannot keep Sho from looking at Jun, it seems, his eyes shooting to Jun’s exposed belly when he stretches, and Jun does not bother to hide his grin.

“So,” leaning forward, Jun smiles charmingly, knowing he is being a bit underhanded, “That person you mentioned, who helped you retain your _flawless_ reputation, who is it?”

Sho no doubt sees right through Jun’s interrogation tactics, because he slows down his chewing, eyeing Jun carefully when he swallows, “Don’t freak out this time, ok?”

Unsurprisingly, that leaves Jun frowning.

“One of the vampires in the council, a female from the Mizukawa family has been a strong ally of mine ever since she joined the council, and she is the one who introduced me to Mizuhara Kiko, the head journalist to cover the execution this past Sunday. As a journalist, you know that if you’re talented enough, you can perfectly convey your own feelings and beliefs through the media, should you want to. She more than proved her belief and support of my opinions and ideals through her coverage of what I had to do,” Sho puts down his cutlery to lean closer to Jun, and Jun finds doubt and a touch of fear in his eyes, “She very much wanted to meet you, to cooperate with you. She believes – and I agree – that together, you could influence the minds of humans and vampires alike.

“I’m afraid I couldn’t keep our meetings a secret; it has gotten out somehow, undoubtedly due to some people I thought I could trust, and I am really sorry. No one knows about our relationship, though I’m sure many of them suspect something is going on.” When Sho reaches for Jun’s hand, Jun lets him, meeting Sho’s gaze patiently, “I will do _anything_ to protect you, Jun. Anything. And I wouldn’t suggest you meet with Mizuhara-san if I didn’t trust you’d be ok. I think, given your resignation from your company and the direction you’re going in, this meeting may open some doors for you, for us.”

Jun understands Sho’s fear and thus, he pushes away his initial panic at meeting an unknown vampire. Last time, his refusal led to misunderstandings and a wedge in Jun and Sho’s relationship, something which could have been avoided, had Jun been more open and trusting of Sho’s intentions. Sho’s trust in Ninomiya has so far only proven to be well-founded, and so this time, Jun does not doubt Sho’s words, does not doubt the feelings growing between them. He nods, squeezing Sho’s hand for good measure.

“Ok.”

“Really?” Sho straightens in his seat, a hopeful smile pulling at his lips.

“But,” Jun holds up a hand, finding it amusing to tease Sho a little, “I want you by my side for the meeting.”

Anxiety gone, Sho grins widely, “Of course, love.” he gets up to walk to Jun’s chair, standing over Jun, as he tilts Jun’s face up with his fingers framing Jun’s jawbone, “I’m never leaving your side.”

It feels like Sho is letting things slip, in the comfy haze they find themselves in, enveloped in each other, knowing they are safe for now, and together. Sho kisses Jun slowly, and Jun basks in it, in the petnames, in Sho’s affectionate voice, his warm eyes, resting constantly on Jun. Perhaps, they do not need a label for what they are yet; knowing that Sho cares deeply for him is enough for Jun, at least until they have made it through the storm.

 

Naturally, Sho leaves for his work with the council – albeit reluctantly – and Jun stays home, no longer having an office he needs to report to. Jun knows he cannot survive very long with no wage to pay the rent, the food and his other expenses, yet before sitting down in front of his laptop to search for freelance jobs, he tidies up the entire apartment. Many things have been left to themselves for too long, postponed for a day when Aiba or Jun had more time to do it; a day that did not come? Jun sorts his portfolio of articles, every single one of them which he has a copy of, some in paperform, he digs through his closet and throws out two big bags of clothes he no longer uses or has long since grown too broad to wear. Jun wipes the inside of all the drawers in the kitchen, sorts all the cabinets and even roams through the freezer to make labels for every container, making it easier for Jun and Aiba to find what they need. When he is done, he flops down on the sofa with the first cup of coffee made on their fancy coffee machine, which was left in a dark corner waiting forever to be tested, and as Jun moves on to find a new way of earning income he feels a profound sense of accomplishment.

Jun has spent a couple of hours and scribbled down a couple of phone numbers for potential job opportunities, when his phone rings. The screen shows a number Jun does not recognise, and he is instantly alert and wary when he puts the phone to his ear.

“Hello?”

“This is Muro Tsuyoshi, I work for the council. I wish to speak to Matsumoto Jun?”

Jun is shocked into momentary silence, receiving a hesitant, “Hello?” before his brain reconnects with his mouth,

“Yes, sorry. This is Matsumoto Jun.”

“It’s a pleasure to speak with you,” the man tells Jun, and honestly, Jun does not know what to do with this mix of confusion and embarrassment at the praise, “I have been wanting to reach you since yesterday, but you’re a hard man to contact, it seems.”

“I’m sorry for the trouble, Muro-san. I had really hoped I was easier to contact, given my occupation.”

“Well,” the man on the other end expresses smug amusement, “Perhaps recent actions have pissed off the wrong people.”

There can only be one reason why a man from the human council would call Jun: Jun’s article. With the help of Jun’s friends, the article made it to the morning papers, lasting until 3 pm., before it was removed from the shelves. But by that time, most of the morning commuters and lunch goers had read it, much to the furious frustration of one Kitagawa Akito, as Toma told Jun in a text message filled with thumbs up and monkey-emojis covering their eyes.

Had Jun not known that Muro is right about his statement, he would perhaps have taken it as an insult.

“Are you calling me because of the article? I’ll have you know it is not illegal to state one’s mind in this time and age, despite the current conflict,” Jun underlines in a neutral voice. If this man is calling to tell Jun off, to let him know that the council does not take kindly to those who side with vampires, Jun is not going to waste time defending his cause.

There is the sound of Muro clearing his throat from the other end, perhaps in nervousness, Jun cannot be sure, “I am sorry I made you misunderstand, Matsumoto-san. You are right to think I’d call to express distaste, but the case is actually the opposite. I think you’re onto something.”

Jun deflates a little, fiddling with the handle of his mug and looking outside, wondering what Sho would do in this situation, “You do?”

“I do. Listen, I’m going to cut straight to the chase. I’d like to meet Sakurai-san.”

“Why?” Jun realises too late the hostile tone, but protectiveness just wells up in him at the mention of his lover’s name, wanting no more harm to come to him. He has been through enough recently.

“Because I agree with his approach to things, I wish for this ‘cold war’ to end, with as little violence invoked as possible. Your description of Sakurai-san’s struggles within the vampire council are much like my own,” Muro hurries through before pausing, “I’d hoped that maybe there is basis and incentive for cooperation here. If you’d let me talk with him, perhaps some new bridges between the councils could be built.”

Jun had prepared himself for a call from the council, perhaps even the vampire council, but never expected it to be of this nature, much less to open possibilities for two powerful people, from both the human and vampire side, to meet. It is almost too good to be true, which is what holds Jun back from immediately agreeing. If it is a trap, it could likely get Sho killed, and Jun will do everything he can to prevent that from happening. Like Sho has vowed to protect Jun, Jun will protect Sho too.

“You know it will take a lot more to convince me that Sakurai-san meeting a stranger from the human council is worth the risk. How would I know for sure that your intentions are good?”

“You’re being awfully distrustful,” it sounds almost like the man is pouting a little.

“We’re at war, you said it yourself. I don’t know you, and I am sure Sakurai-san wouldn’t like it one bit, if I gave his contact information to just anyone.” Jun abandons his coffee to stand up and walk around the room as he talks. All stealthily, he types a short email to Sho on his computer, informing him of the phone call and the current conversation.

Muro seems to consider this, because he falls silent for a moment, “What should I do then? To prove that I mean well, because I really do, Matsumoto-san.”

“You and I meet first.”

Where Jun might have suspected the council member to at least chuckle, he sounds only a little concerned when asking, “Wouldn’t that be risky too? For you?”

“Yes, but I have much less to lose. Since I already lost it,” Jun smiles without humour, despite knowing Muro cannot see it. He knows Sho is going to scold him and oppose Jun risking his hide for Sho, despite how both of them are aware that Jun is stubborn enough to go through with the things he decides on. And would it not be unfair, if Jun cannot risk his life for the one he loves too, to make sure Sho does not walk into a trap?

“Not everything is lost, Matsumoto-san. As long as there is still you, me and someone like Sakurai-san willing to fight for what we have left.”

 

*

 

“Someone from the council called you?!” Toma stops short with the straw halfway to his gaping mouth. Jun cannot decide if it looks comical or stupid.

“The man’s name is Muro Tsuyoshi-san. Have you guys heard of him?” Jun looks to Shun calmly, ignoring Toma’s wild gestures.

“The human council is not really my area of expertise, Jun-kun. They don’t disclose too many names, for security reasons. Sorry.” 

“But someone from the council called _you_!” Toma persists, pushing meekly at Shun’s shoulder for help, “This is way out of my area of comprehension – you’ve only told us half the story, MatsuJun, I feel totally lost here.”

“I think,” Shun turns to Jun again, and Jun knows it is disclosure time, “you need to tell us everything, Jun-kun, because this is getting way too confusing, and we put our jobs on the line for you and some pureblood, we only know by the fame and power of his name. So please, from the beginning.” Shun says calmly, although he is wearing a smug grin, clearly looking forward to knowing how Jun came to make out with and ultimately fuck a vampire.

“You guys know the beginning.”

“After that then,” Jun hates how patient Shun sounds, “We know, you suddenly started seeing Sakurai-san outside the office. Did he ask you out right after the first meeting? That’s bold.”

“He didn’t.” Jun groans. He throws a glance at Ohno, who is busy behind the counter, seemingly always brewing coffee or cleaning the spotless machine, “I wanted to know more than he dared share so closely surrounded by my colleagues, so he suggested coming to this café. It is a public place, and open to both vampires and humans and any combination thereof, so after long consideration, I agreed.”

“That curiosity of yours is gonna get you in so much trouble.” Shun says.

“Well, it already did, didn’t it?” Jun sighs, feeling tired, “I don’t regret it, just so you guys know.”

“Hey.” Jun does not know whose arm is around him first, because suddenly he is squashed between two quite muscular males, one significantly broader than Jun, who is not a whimp himself, making him feel like a mochi pancake. “We don’t mean it like that, you know. We’re just worried for you, and we want to make sure you’re not sad or too afraid about any of this. You’re putting yourself under a lot of pressure – more than usual – and honestly we’re both very much in awe of what you’re doing, so,” Shun says in his steady voice, when Jun finally manages to push the two affectionate seals off of him, “while we cannot do as much as we’d like, we can at least make sure our little brother stays safe.”

Huffing and pretending to be offended, Jun looks between the two, “I trust Sho-san with my life,” he admits and sees the impact his words have on his friends, “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have done this. He has done so much to protect me, and I…” Jun bites his lip, “I care a lot about him. So, I want to protect him too, even if I am just a human.” Saying it out loud makes Jun realise the weight of the words.

A human and a vampire. Despite how much they mean to each other, even if they make it through and manage to protect one another, they are still of different races. And Sho is immortal.

“If my talent as a journalist can help him this much, if I can make a difference not just for he and I, but for other humans and vampires and the future between us, I want to take the chance, run the risk. Honestly, it’s also a little exciting.”

Suddenly, there are arms enveloping him again, and Jun releases a disgruntled ‘uff’, only to have his face smushed Toma’s shoulder. It is not until his eyes touch fabric that he realizes they are wet.

He is frightened. He is utterly terrified of his future, and of the unknown reception his article is going to get. Today, a man from the human council called him, and Jun does not know what his true intentions are. Who knows if someone from the vampire council calls tomorrow; what are they going to say to Jun? How are they reacting to his article? Jun knows who his allies are, but he has no idea where his enemies lurk, and that leaves him frazzled. He has faced many challenges as a journalist but has never been up against characters who would physically hurt him and remove him from the game, as might very well become the case soon. Additionally, he cares so much for the cause and for Sho, that the emotions threaten to spill over. If Jun’s actions were to take Sho down in the fall…

“Look at you, you always cry so easily,” Toma says playfully, and Jun hits him in the ribs.

“Shut up.”

“To think you’d end up caring this much for a vampire,” Shun scratches the top of his head when Jun finally manages to pull away from Toma. Jun gulps down his water and sniffles only a little, “Next thing we know, Toma is going to get a pet snake.”

“Never! I hate snakes.”

“That’s what Jun-kun told us about vampires. Oh, and he wore a disgusted expression like the one you’re wearing now too.”

When Shun winces, Jun knows Toma kicked him under the table, but at least it gets a laugh out of Jun. To know he has such good friends, despite Jun’s oddities and weird choices, soothes his heart and reassures him he made the right decision.

Toma points at Jun with his half-empty class of melonjuice, “Actually, it’s really about time you hooked up with someone. I just honestly didn’t expect for it to be that Sakurai, of all people. Man, a pureblood vampire, Jun-kun. I always knew you were picky, but wow,” Toma whistles, “You scored big time.”

“Hey, shut up.”

“Ey, but the vampire scored big time too, you know.” Toma winks, and Shun barks out his laugh, although he seems to agree. And Jun just goes red.

“Knock it off.”

Jun ends up telling them about all the seemingly entirely professional meetings with Sho, tells them how things changed when Jun felt threatened by some unknown person following him and Sho, without hesitation, got him out of the bind. He tells them about misunderstandings, about meeting Nino and how he ultimately convinced Jun to go to Sho’s party. Toma’s eyes grow wide and shiny and his face flares beet red when Jun tells him about the lingering smell of blood and arousal where vampires and humans were wrapped tightly around each other in the huge ballroom. Personal details and details of how Sho took Jun that night are amongst the things Jun leaves out as best as he can, though his friends’ abhorred reactions at the way Jun’s face turns red and hot when he thinks about how it felt to have Sho push roughly into him and suck his blood, leaves words quite inecessary.

“Man, I bet vampires have wild sex,” Toma comments off-handedly, earning him a slap on his shoulder by Shun, who is grinning like a teenage boy.

“Well, they _can_ endure much more than humans,” Shun says, and he eyes Jun who just narrows his stare, silently signaling for Shun _not to go there_ , “He sounds like a much better guy than I initially made him out to be, I have to admit that. So what, does he call you his _mate_ yet?” Leave it to Shun to ask such a question; Shun, who has studied vampires much longer than Jun has. He would know about it of course, so perhaps Jun should ask Shun for advice about the concept of mates, whether Sho could have meant it seriously when the word slipped from his mouth.

In the vampire society, the concept of mates goes along the lines of; once a couple bonds as mates, they stay together for the rest of their lives. Jun finds it to be the most beautiful thing about vampires, and at the same time the most tragic. Because when circumstances leave one part alone, much like the widow of the Yukimura family who is never gonna find a new mate, the wound it leaves will run deeper than any flesh wound and hurt even more than it would to lose a partner in the human society. Vampires only ever mate once and losing a partner is like losing half of yourself. Jun has never asked Sho about it, and what he knows, he learned on the internet. Moreover, Jun has not read a case of a vampire taking a human as a mate, much less a pureblood. There is no way, because the class difference is just too glaringly obvious and perhaps it is not even possible, genetically, for a human and a vampire to bond in the same way as it is done between a pair of vampires. So why would Sho refer to Jun as his mate? In the near future, when counting in vampire years, Jun is going to grow old and leave Sho behind, and that would mess up the whole concept of mating for life. For that reason, despite how Jun’s heart jumps when he hears the word addressed at him, it quickly falters again, when Jun reasons it could never be between him and Sho. Not anything more than just wistful thinking.

_Mate._

Jun realizes he has been quiet for a while, when Toma clears his throat, “So, what are you going to do now? What’s the plan from here?”

Choosing to pretend he does not notice the way Shun’s gaze seems to burn into the side of Jun’s head, he forgets the question about mates, and instead replies to Toma, “I think, I will request for Muro-san to meet me here. It’s the safest place I can think of, that isn’t Sho-san’s house. It’s public, and a place where both vampires and humans should be able to feel that no harm will come to them, even if they show up vampire-human together. I could bring Sho-san for safety, but that will just put him in harm’s way instead of me, and that is the direct opposite of what I want.”

“Honestly, MatsuJun, does a pureblood vampire like Sakurai-san need protection? Isn’t he crazy strong? _He’s_ supposed to be protecting _you_ , which he is already trying to, despite how you seem to resist.”

“That may be so,” Of course, Sho is ridiculously powerful, and Jun is in no doubt that Sho could kill Muro-san with his pinky, should he want to, but it is not Sho’s life, that Jun is protecting, “but if Muro-san seeks to harm Sho’s reputation and the status-quo between the vampires and humans, Sho-san’s physical strength means nothing.”

Realisation seems to sink in, Jun can see it in his friends’ eyes, and Shun ends up with a resigned smile, “You’re worth so much, I hope Sakurai-san realizes how lucky he is to have you.”

“I feel like I’m the lucky one though,” Jun admits, and can feel the blush on his neck. He may be over 30, but he still gets embarrassed over these things, “He takes good care of me.”

They have spent a little more time here, than Jun thought they would, and he hurries to stand up and usher the two men out, knowing their lunch breaks will be over soon.

“Don’t be a stranger ok, MatsuJun? We’ll keep in touch.”

“Even if we’re no match for your boyfriend, we can still pack a few punches to lesser vampires and humans, got it?”

When they are finally out, the café’s quiet bustling now filling Jun’s headspace, he mouths a silent _thank you_.

 

*

 

A week has passed since Jun received the phone call from a certain Muro Tsuyoshi, and it will only be one more night until Jun has to meet up with him. And Sho is out of his mind in worry for his lover. So many emotions go through him every second, that he barely has time to realise and make a grab for one of them. Part of him is furious and frustrated that Jun would put himself in so much danger for a pureblood vampire – because Sho is more than capable of defending himself. Another part of him is moved and feels even deeper love for the human for having such a strong need to stand between the human council and Sho, protective of Sho as Sho is protective of Jun. And a final part of him is utterly frightened, because what more can he do to protect Jun than to warn him, to have Nino keep an eye on him where Sho cannot, and to stand in harms way for Jun, when Jun lets him? Jun’s stubbornness which can be so charming, can also be a pain in Sho’s ass, as is right now. And however much Sho would want to, he cannot force Jun to change his mind, he cannot chain Jun up and keep him here, especially since Jun is being stubborn _because of Sho._ He is doing it all for Sho.

So all Sho has been able to do for insurance is to look the guy up, to ask around and learn everything there is to know about Muro Tsuyoshi, his family, his ideals, his previous work. Jun does not know this, there is no reason for Sho to tell him how viciously Sho looks into a person, to dig up any dirt that could potentially harm Sho or those he cares for. In most of his dealings, his negotiations and personal relations, Sho will research a person before investing time and trust in them. Just like he investigated Jun. Not that he is proud of it, after coming to know Jun and care for him as much as he does, but Sho’s research is what led him to Jun to begin with, and he stopped as soon as he met Jun in person and got interested in learning everything about him on his own – not from information from others; Sho wanted to make his own judgement of Jun’s character.

Sitting in Sho’s chair, Jun is typing away furiously on his keyboard, completely absorbed in an article concerning the history of wars between humans and vampires – an article Jun has been requested specifically to write by Muro and his associate for a small newspaper with a critical stance. If the meeting with the human council member goes well beyond expectations, the article will be published. Sho has not seen Jun this fired up since the day before his resignation, and with relief washing over him at seeing Jun with work, Sho hopes this is a sign of a new phase of Jun’s career, launched by his first opinionated article.

“I’ll go ask Iwai-san about dinner,” Sho states, knowing he likely will not receive an answer, and gets up from his place on the sofa. He touches Jun’s shoulder and kisses his hair, feeling awfully domestic as Jun hums to let Sho know he heard him.

Sho loves having Jun in his home, loves knowing his four walls protect Jun, keep him warm and fed and close to Sho. It is a feeling he has never experienced before and knows is addicting. He tries to be subtle about it, afraid his possessiveness will scare Jun away, yet also knowing doing just that means fighting his nature. Between vampire mates, displays of affection and possessiveness are natural, it is what keeps the relationship strong and healthy, as both parts take great care to make sure the other is healthy and happy. Honestly, Sho is not sure how human mates act around each other. From what he has been witness too, they appear awfully vague and weak in their displays of love and affection – Sho is of the impression that human relationships cannot be very strong. This relationship that Sho has with Jun is only in its infant stages, but Sho feels a deep wish to make it grow, and for that reason, how they need to go about it lays heavily on his mind. As a vampire, he requires certain acts and displays, yet what if those displays push Jun away and make what they want impossible?

Rationality is what keeps Sho from discussing his concerns for their relationship with Jun, rationality is what keeps Sho aware of what is undoubtedly drawing near as a result of both Sho and Jun’s actions.

In the kitchen, Sho checks his phone for messages and finds three. The first one is from Okada, who lets Sho know that Shigeaki Kato is still keeping a very close eye on Murao, who is now openly working against Sho’s politics, and any information concerning Murao’s whereabouts go directly through Okada to Sho. Aware that Murao must have his own eyes on Sho, Sho has continued to maintain a relatively low profile after the execution, which did little to hurt Sho’s reputation and pride. If anything, it only served to strengthen Sho’s position in the council, and there has been no negative reception from the human council either. Especially when the lesser vampire has also been disposed of, by less flashy means. Now, Murao is undoubtedly searching for weak spots, and Sho knows that he is bound to find Jun at some point, it is only a matter of time.

Okada tells Sho that Murao has been meeting regularly with Joshima Shigeru, a relatively quiet and neutral council member – at least until now – and Murao is undoubtedly trying to win the vampire over. The Joshima family is not of considerably high standing, but any supporting vote is worth the time and effort if Sho and Murao end up having to fight for Sho’s chair. Biting his lip, Sho wonders how to earn the favor of Higashiyama Noriyuki, the last council member who seems to not have chosen a side yet. Currently, it is Sho, Mizukawa and Okada against Murao, Takizawa, Domoto and the loose canon Akanishi. If Murao gets the vote of Joshima, Sho will not stand a chance, regardless of strong blood and great argumentation. Higashiyama has done much for the vampire community and to have him on Sho’s side would be a massive advantage, however – and this is probably the reason why Murao has not approached him – he has always been quite the lone wolf, standing by his own politics and opinions and never making alliances behind the curtain. He is one tough vampire, but that just gives Sho all the more reason to want his support and cooperation. Sho texts Okada back and mentions Higashiyama, hoping Okada has some ideas of how to go about talking to the vampire.

The second message in Sho’s mailbox is from Nino, who reassures Sho that Jun appears to be safe, no one besides Nino and one of Nino’s close acquaintances follow Jun around, and their presence alone keeps many other unwanted eyes at bay. Now that Jun no longer works at Yomiuri Shimbun, there is no risk involved whenever he commutes to the office, so at least that too worked out in their favor. Nino’s message includes an attached file of information concerning Muro Tsuyoshi, and Sho wastes no time opening it, while he knows Jun is otherwise occupied and will likely not suspect anything.

Muro Tsuyoshi, born in 1976, 42 years old and raised in Kanagawa seems to have awfully little information on him worth looking into. He took his seat in the council in 1999 and has since then been working mainly to remove the slums, to even out the class divisions and support the homeless. Nino lets Sho know that the man’s stance on vampires is awfully vague, with little to no information about it, but that does not come as a surprise to Sho. It would endanger Muro’s position in the council if he appeared too strong a supporter of vampires – with humans, it is safer to be against vampires, yet there is no proof that Muro Tsuyoshi has ever spoken against vampires either. With the way Nino phrases his words, it appears this particular council member may actually have the best intentions, and Sho dares to hope a little. He cannot be with Jun when he meets Muro, however, Ninomiya can, and Sho lets his friend knows as much.

**Nino**

_Babysitting again? Seriously, Sho-chan, if you cannot take proper care of your mate…_

**Sho**

_He is not really my mate. Yet. And so far, you’ve been happy to follow him, without my orders, so I really think you owe me._

**Nino**

_You make a strong argument, Sakurai Sho._

_Fine, I will make sure no one touches your things._

Sho can easily imagine the snark in Nino’s voice and the look on his face when he typed that message.

With that out of the way, Sho looks at the third message which is from Mizukawa Asami. She mentions a few topics of interest for the next council meeting as well as offers her help in staying in touch with Mizuhara Kiko. The journalist still inquries about meeting Jun, but Sho knows there is no way that can happen until things are clearer with Muro Tsuyoshi and the human council. None of them needs an issue with the human council because Jun is having meetings with a renowned vampire journalist on top of being an _‘ally’_ of a powerful pureblood. Sho lets Asami know about this, promising that when things have quieted down, Jun will probably be more than eager to meet Mizuhara. Sho has gotten Jun’s consensus already, and knowing Jun, he will likely be more than a little impatient by the time the world is ready for them to meet and make plans for the future. Lastly in the mail, Asami makes out in bold words how strong of a team they would be; Sho, Asami, Kiko and ‘Sho’s human friend’. Sho reckons they are strong already, with Okada and Nino on their side. Nino may not be a council member, but that is currently a huge advantage, as he can move in the shadows while no one thinks to track his whereabouts.

When Sho gets back to Jun in the office, he is still slumped forward over the laptop keyboard. Worrying for his lover’s back, Sho rubs Jun’s nape with his fingers, a little hard around the bone to get Jun’s attention. Jun looks so good in Sho’s office. As good as he does in Sho’s bed – fits right in and fills up the space in such a perfect way, and Sho suddenly becomes aware of how empty every room that Jun has visited here will become, if Jun is not present.

“Dinner is ready soon; would you like to help me pick the wine?”

Jun’s body seems to follow Sho’s touch at the back of his neck, tilting his head backwards to look up at Sho. His eyes are a little clouded – tired, but with a small ignition of something that makes Sho’s arousal stir, a sign of Jun liking Sho’s dominating display.

“I wouldn’t mind.” Jun’s voice is whispery too; Sho senses the weariness after a whole day of typing and staring into a screen. Sho makes a mental note of ensuring a good night’s rest for Jun, regardless of whether he must tie Jun to the bed and hold him down with his body weight. Actually, that is not such a bad idea.

“What are we having?” Jun inquires quietly as he follows Sho to the basement, part of which Sho uses to store wine, sake and other beverages. The storage of various kinds of shochu has been built up by the Sakurai family for generations, and Sho has been the one to recently start storing wine here. Since he has discovered Jun’s interest in wine, Sho is certain the storage is bound to grow exponentially.

“Iwai-san asked the cook to make us a wagyu steak, seems like he thinks you need the iron and protein.” In the darkness of the room, Sho lets his eyes rest a little longer than necessary on Jun, knowing Jun has caught on when his quiet breath hitches, and Sho smells attraction and hears the quickening of a heartbeat.

“Maybe,” Jun swallows, “He is right.”

Sho’s baritone is husky, “He might be. So, let’s find a particularly strong red wine to go with it, shall we?”

The walls here are covered in storage shelves, wall to ceiling, with barrels and bottles of sake, umeshu and specially brewed beers which Sho’s father took a keen interest in in his later years. The temperature, the air moisture levels and lighting are regulated for preservation purposes, and so Sho sticks close to Jun to ensure that he will not get cold. Spiderweb are kept to a minimum, though some are left in favour of maintaining the mood in the basement.

“This is amazing,” Jun breathes in awe as he takes in the sight of it all. Sho has showed him the basement before, twice to get beverages, yet Jun seems to always be stunned into silence. For Sho, he has seen it so many times that it is hardly able to take his breath away. However, Jun is, with his widening eyes and soft smile, the smell of seafoam wafting from him in his curiosity, and naturally Sho feels an undeniable urge to stay close, to wrap his arms around Jun, bury his nose in his neck and inhale.

Jun chuckles and with Sho this close, he feels Jun’s shoulders vibrate beneath his lips,

“At this rate, we’ll empty your wine storage in no time,” Jun points out, when Sho finally loosens his arms and makes do with a hand in Jun’s.

“We’ll just need to do something about refilling it,” Sho watches as Jun picks out a Pinot Noir, “Perhaps you’d like to help me? I suspect you know wine way better than I do.”

When Jun turns to look at Sho, his eyes seem to absorb all light in the room and reflect it back, hesitant happiness readable in his expression, “Really? You wouldn’t mind? You told me this is your family’s storage, I wouldn’t want to overstep any boundaries-”

“You wouldn’t be. I want you to help. That’s why I asked,” Sho brings up Jun’s hand to kiss his wrist, “I’d love it, if we could expand this collection together.”

Jun does not say anything, but he does not need to. His feelings are clear and easily readable, and when he presses close to kiss Sho long and deep, Sho knows he just did something right.

Pinot Noir in hand, they start to make their way back up the stairs, still inseparable by their hands.

“Feel free to take whatever you want from down here,” Sho turns off the light, “Maybe even bring Aiba-san a bottle, that’s the least I can do to thank him for looking out for you.”

“You spoil me.”

“Not really,” Just as they make their way into the hallway, Sho pulls at their entwined hands, turning Jun and trapping him between the wall and Sho’s body, “I get more than my fair share in return.” Sho traces the vein on the side of Jun’s neck with his free hand, and his gaze locks onto the beautiful moles dotting Jun’s chin and mouth, and he knows he must taste them beneath his tongue.

“What about-”

“I’ll make sure we’re not late for dinner. We should have about ten minutes of leeway,” Sho husks, thigh meeting no resistance when it sneaks between Jun’s legs.

 

*

 

Sho’s legs are crossed, his elbows are resting on the desk in front of him, palms meeting, and he is staring down the man in front of him with a mercilessly scrutinizing scowl. Muro Tsuyoshi gets no soft treatment, even when his eyes flicker nervously in every other direction and he fidgets restlessly on the fine chair provided for him. The man is likely surprised at the brightness of Sho’s office; no curtains blocking out the sunlight, no heavy drapings and no sign of blood and death which vampires are so often associated with.

Jun is safe, unharmed and even a little hopeful after his meeting with the council member, but Sho is not buying it, not until this guy with the ridiculous curls proves himself.

Yesterday’s council meeting was a disaster. Not so much so in the case that the members did not agree with each other on anything, but in how Sho felt Murao’s eyes constantly resting on him, full of disgust, and every time Sho turned to stare back, the older vampire would smirk slowly, reminding Sho of something awfully slimy and cruel. After the meeting, Sho hurriedly spoke with Okada, requesting another of his men follow Jun, because Sho felt such a terrible twisting in his stomach, sensing something awful would happen soon. It took convincing – because Okada was not overly willing to sacrifice more men for the protection of a human – until the vampire realized that Jun is like a mate to Sho, and so, his safety should be top priority. Needless to say, Sho rushed to Jun’s place after that, picking him up and insisting he stay at Sho’s place in the upcoming days, until Sho feels more at ease. Jun understands the severity of the situation, and Sho loves him for it. Even if Murao is simply doing this to rile Sho up, even if it is false alarm, Jun is willing to do what needs to be done for Sho to calm down. It will be hours until Sho’s work here is finished, but already, he feels the telltale restlessness in his impatience to return home.

Given what happened, Sho is less than inclined to trust the human in front of him, because is it really a coincidence that he should show up in Jun’s life, just as Murao has clearly figured everything out and is most definitely targeting Jun? Sho doubts it. There is no proof of Murao’s plans, but Sho has always trusted his instincts, so there is no way he will doubt them now, especially given their strong reaction; Sho’s body screaming at him to protect his mate. Every particle of his being is on edge, so there really is no blaming the human here for being terrified and quite ready to bolt.

“It would seem Matsumoto-san trusts you enough to arrange this meeting, so I will give you the benefit of the doubt.” Sho states coldly, eyes not leaving the man in front of him. There is no way Sho is going to give away the relationship he and Jun has, so he sticks to using Jun’s last name.

“He, uh, he said a meeting was not a guarantee.”

“Yes. Consider yourself lucky, Muro-san.”

The human swallows slowly, “I- yes. Yes, I guess I am.” He smells like fear, but so far, Sho does not pick up a single sign of deceit. And the man is still in the chair, so he is not a coward.

Sho tilts his head slowly, “So. Tell me why you’re here, why I should be spending my time with you and not elsewhere?”

In his head, Sho is chanting that he is doing this for Jun, and for their common hope that this can bring the councils closer together; however much he wants to just kick this shivering human out the door and run to Jun’s side to check on him for the fifth time today, he keeps the man here, trying to be patient for the man to say what he wants to say. And a whisper of Sho’s still-sane mind tells him that this frazzled state of his is what keeps him from being rational and optimistic.

“I am here because of Matsumoto-san’s article.”

“Yes, I know that much.”

“And uh-” Muro does flinch, but bravely pushes forward, “Even if the article was taken down, Sakurai-san, many people read it, including all the members of the human council. I speculated upon what I’d read for a while, interested, but I wasn’t sure what to do with the interest, until a couple of days after the release of the article, when our secretaries got awfully busy.” A pause, and then Muro continues when Sho does not interrupt, “Matsumoto-san’s article has started a ravine of interest and debate, and our phones have been on fire from a mass of human journalists who will give half of their arm to interview Matsumoto-san, to interview you.”

Sho raises his eyesbrows, surprised, but pleasantly so, to know that the article actually got the reaction Jun so wished for. When neither he nor Sho heard much, Jun started to lose hope and it visibly tore at his energy, “We’ve heard nothing from anyone except you, Muro-san.” Sho says.

“Well, that’s… That’s because what keeps all these interested – and to some degree dangerous – people at bay is the human council. A couple of my colleagues are working 24 hours a day, sifting through calls and blocking the tenacious few who close to harress us to get your phone number, which none of us even know.” Muro seems to be warming up, and Sho can feel a spark of passion in his voice, “But if we can find the right journalist, I think this opportunity should be exploited. As a matter of fact, I do have someone in mind; a critical, rather eccentric freelance writer I have worked with before, without the meetings reaching public ears. He is very keen on stories concerning the ‘meetings’ – so to speak – between humans and vampires. The clashes between our cultures, and stories of friendships overcoming that obstacle. Is that not exactly what has happened between you and Matsumoto-san?”

Sho does not reply, merely rests his chin on his hands and watches the man piercingly. He is not going to give anything away, if this man is a spy. Muro is definitely not an elegant speaker, but in this case, his honest enthusiasm seems to make up for it, and Sho’s attention is piqued. However, Sho is not particularly fond of his rushed eagerness to make a bigger project out of what Jun has started. The article lies close to Jun’s heart, and Sho knows how bad an idea it would be to force things through too quickly, without planning the various stages and scenarios for the project. If this idea that Muro has is to become reality, Sho knows he himself needs to participate, to watch over and judge each potential course of action, to avoid human mistakes in a project which could go so terribly wrong.

“I’ll be honest with you, Muro-san, I had doubted anyone in the human council was interested in bridging our differences. You have been very difficult to deal with, and as a matter of fact, I had gotten the impression that the council were nothing less than hungry for war.” Sho’s stomach twists in despise and curiosity at watching Muro’s reaction to the offensive wording.

“Oh, there certainly are those people in the council. I’m afraid the more… reasonable ones are a minority.”

“And are _you_ a minority, Muro-san?”

The human actually chuckles a little, “I am. But not too much of a minority. I have a few allies and a few people I think we could convince to join our cause, if we can prove that it’s worth it.” Muro raises a finger, now relaxing despite Sho’s presence, and Sho is even more convinced of his sincerity.

“And what exactly is _our_ cause?”

Perhaps Sho’s reply is a little too cold, because the human seems thrown off, blinking and licking his lips repeatedly.

“What I mean to say,” Sho holds Muro’s gaze captive with the intention of capturing every sign of emotions running through the man, “I may be a member of the council, but my first and foremost priority is the protection of the vampire public. You may know me as the council’s deliverer of punishment, but I assure you, what I do in those cases I do to protect the rest of us. Not just from the humans, but from each other. My fight with the human council is closely tied to my fight with the vampire council. I have a few allies, but I need more. Do you get my meaning? I am not at an advantage even on my side of the frontline.” _And you won’t be able to use me against the vampire council._

“Sakurai-san, what you just said is exactly the reason why I wanted to be of help to you, and no one else from the vampire council,” Muro licks his lips again, and the serious expression on his face makes Sho the one falling silent, “Matsumoto-san told me about your father. He mentioned how different you are, and he emphasized how much you truly _care_ about your people. I too, care about my people, and that is why I took such interest in the description of you in Matsumoto-san’s article. With you, me and Matsumoto-san – who has become so popular, we can use his charisma, and looks, to put it bluntly – I think we could really make a difference.”

Sho does not like how Muro mentions Sho’s father, but he trusts Jun enough to know that he would never tell Muro anything Sho would not like him to know. And as such, he is not afraid of the knowledge of his father that Muro may hold. In this moment, he is unsure of what to think of Muro’s observation of Jun being both good-looking and charismatic; some fierce part of him stirs, but the human does not appear to be romantically interested in Jun, so Sho pushes down the possessiveness. Both Mizukawa and Mizuhara have inquired about Jun’s looks, definitely seeking to know if his looks and personality are an advantage, but Sho has not told Jun this. He knows that if Jun knew how Sho’s allies wish to give Jun a more prominent role in this, Jun would not hesitate to step up to the task. But Sho does not want him to. He does not want to stand idly by, while his mate puts himself in dangerous situations, Sho will not allow it. Just being Sho’s partner is a huge risk, but Sho is too selfish to push Jun away from him. And damn, too many individuals are talking about teams now, with Jun in the centre, Sho is not happy about it.

They continue to talk for half an hour, Sho inquiring about Muro’s background, and Sho learns a lot about his family; his father a talented diplomat who unfortunately died of an illness when he was no more than 46, and Muro’s mother, who lives in the country side in Gunma and sends Muro vegetables and embarrassing letters. Muro Tsuyoshi seems very proud of his heritage and speaks boldly of how he has adopted his father’s ideals of a united government of vampires and humans. Sho doubts such a thing will ever be possible, but the fact that the human has a dream is not a bad trait. Deciding to give something back, Sho lets Muro know about the relatively small role he played in the release of Jun’s article, how really, Jun was the mastermind of it all. He also tells Muro on which side Sho stands in the vampire council and what he is up against. However, Sho mentions no names, does not reveal the number of allies he has, and he keeps Ninomiya out of everything – his friend who is Sho’s trump card.

It is just as Sho’s thoughts drift to Nino, Sho acknowledging how lucky he is to have such a trusted, competent friend, that his phone vibrates on the desk, next to his hand. Sho freezes when he sees the name on the display.

Vertigo hits.

“Anything the matter?”

Muro’s voice seems distant, hollow, as though he is not really here with Sho, or Sho is not really here with him, not in the same room nor on the same planet. And Sho stares so hard at his phone, he thinks it should break under the force of his gaze.

Ninomiya’s name only popped up briefly, the screen lighting up once before going black. Sho’s heart is hammering in his chest, praying it was a misdialed call, that the screen will stay dark. _Please…_

But of course, he should not be so lucky. A millisecond later – like minutes to Sho – the screen lights up again, Ninomiya’s name glaring at him like a burst of fire, and Sho does not wait for the third call. He already knows that this is an emergency, and that he let his guard down for too long.

_Jun._

“What happened!” Sho yells into the phone as he yanks it from the table before Nino can hang up again, trying and failing to breathe. His throat is as tight as his chest, the world around him slimming down to only the phone in his hand, the voice from the other end. He stumbles over his chair, and Muro flinches. But Sho pays him no heed, he does not matter anymore. Everything that matters… The only thing that matters…

Ninomiya knows Sho is in a meeting with Muro. Just him calling would mean a dire situation, but he is using an emergency sign he and Sho came up with for quick and simple signals over the phone, and Sho instantly knows something happened to Jun. Two short calls and one long, yet Sho does not even allow the signal to be completed.

“Sho-chan. It’s- He’s- Okada’s here but-”

“Where is HE?!” Sho all but screams at Nino, cutting off his nervous babbling. There is no time, Sho knows there is no time.

“Not far from Roppongi station. We’re in an alley. I-”

But Sho hangs up, does not allow Nino to finish. His hand is trembling, and he watches it but for a brief moment, as if abhorred and unable to comprehend the effect the news has on him. Then his eyes slide to Muro, who sits wide-eyed in the chair still. Sho flies into his face, has him lifted out of the chair by his collar in the blink of an eye, and Sho bares his fangs viciously, not caring about the horrid stench of terror.

“I swear, if you had _anything_ to do with this.” Sho snarls, fury tearing at his vocal chord, “I will come for you, and I will rip you apart, piece by bloody piece. Do you understand?” Sho knows Jun’s safety comes first, he does not have time to carry out his revenge. Not until later. But oh, will fury rain down on those responsible.

Muro is white as a sheet, and honestly Sho would enjoy it if he fainted, yet he manages to stutter out, “What happened?”

Sho just grunts in indifference and shoves the man to the ground, muscles jumping when he holds himself back to not hurt the human before he has proof of him being responsible for anything related to the situation, “I have to go.” Sho only brings his phone, speeding to the door in a flash, “My mate is dying.”

“Y-your m-mate??”

Sho’s insides are tearing themselves apart, emotions and instincts fighting, leaving Sho a mess of anger and desperation, completely out of control.

Sho does not waste time on slamming the door; lets the world pass by in a blur as he runs. Not caring if anyone sees him and suspects anything, not caring that he is supposed to be calm and cool. All he cares about is making it in time, daring to believe he will not be too late. Prays that the panic in Nino’s voice is unfounded, that it is not as bad as Nino thinks it is, that someone will come to their aid. That Sho somehow can heal with his hands… There are so many things. But Sho does not allow himself to question what he can do for Jun in a situation of life and death. He just needs to be there, he needs Jun to _live_.

_Please._

 

The stench of blood reaches his nostrils ahead of anything else, Jun’s smell cutting through it a couple of kilometres from Sho’s mansion, and Sho lets it lead him, follows it blindly. He is not aware of the route as he runs, how he gets there, but when he arrives in the narrow alley – not as dark as it should be in a horrendous situation such as this – a ringing sets off in his ears, a ringing that cuts off all sounds, all reasonable thoughts.

He sees nothing but Jun on the ground. Jun with his eyes closed. Jun with blood on his chest.

Lunacy invades Sho’s mind, when his pupils zero in on the shape standing by the wall.

Sho reads Okada’s lips, “My men are chasing down the last of them, I doubt they’ll escape with their lives.” Because Sho cannot hear anything but the blood in his ears, and the blood-churning sound of his snarl.

He sees nothing but Murao’s toothy grin, hears nothing but the vampire’s breathing – why is he still breathing?

_“You. You made the mistake of showing up here yourself.”_

Maybe Murao wanted to say something. Maybe he wanted to laugh at Sho, laugh at discovering Sho’s weakness and attempting to take it away from him. Maybe he wanted to gloat, maybe he wanted to beg for his life, Sho does not waste a breath on looking at Murao’s expression, on reading his thoughts. Sho does not think of the consequences of his own actions, does not look further past the present.

Sho tears him apart.

When Sho takes his first step towards Murao, Okada steps back, seems to know exactly what is going to happen. And because of such, Okada does not get his _own_ blood on his face.

Iron singes across Sho’s tongue when he licks his lips, breathes in for what is seemingly the first time since he picked up his phone. There is a pile in front of Sho; an unshapen mass of red, Sho’s front is covered in warm blood, gore is underneath his extended claws and he cannot close his mouth from his protruding fangs, throbbing in his mouth. His vision is red, and the echo of a chilling, shocked scream of pain makes his ears ring. Yet, Sho thinks about none of this, he faces the other way, throws himself at Jun’s side. And is horrorstruck to discover the uneven breathing of his mate.

_No. No no no._

Nino is there beside Jun, hovering and shivering with blood all over his hands, “It’s too late. I tried to stop the bleeding, but Sho-, I-They were so fast. You know I’m not very strong-” Sho’s friend sounds like his heart has been broken into hundreds of pieces, with tears in his eyes, and Sho’s chest is pierced by fear _. It can’t be too late._

Sho counts on Nino forgiving him for pushing him out of the way, to take Jun’s head between his soaked hands, marking him with the blood of their enemy, to look at his face, to look for signs that Jun is hanging onto life.

“Jun. Jun, please. Jun, open your eyes, please open your eyes for me. My mate, stay with me.” Sho babbles, pressing his forehead against Jun’s, “Don’t leave. Not yet. He’s dead, I killed him for you.” Sho feels himself crumbling into a lump on the ground, feels the rest of the universe crumble too. He has heard stories, but never imagined the pain to be this blinding, the pain of witnessing the death of a mate. He does not want it, he cannot accept it, “I’m so sorry. I pulled you into this, I risked your life.” _I’m so sorry I didn’t make it._

Jun has so much time left as a human, it is not time for him to leave Sho. Not when they have just found each other, found a life together. Sho is not ready to be alone, not again. Had he not found Jun, he may never have experienced true warmth, a real feeling of belonging. But this is too brief, this is not fair.

Power and strength means nothing now; he sounds pathetic, his invincible self weak against a blow like this, “Don’t leave me.”

Fingers are cold by his cheek, chillingly so, and they feel so frail. Sho knows.

With his mate in his arms, Sho’s formidable, unstoppable self is deteriorating. Left to be nothing.

-

Sho is close to him, Jun can feel it. He is close, and he is so warm. There is a firm pressure on the open flesh wound where claws tore his stomach, there is a faint sound of grief, vibrating across Jun’s skin, so close in Sho’s embrace as Sho trembles. Affectionate touches are skittering over Jun’s face, his cheek, and leaving heavy blood stains, the colour disturbing Jun’s blurred vision.

It all happened so fast, Jun pulled from the streets in a blur of colour and useless struggle that only hurt Jun’s shoulders and arms. Funny how Jun felt safe until that moment, sure that no one would touch him so close to Sho’s home. Yet, it seemed they knew exactly who Jun was, where he was headed and when. He remembers hearing Ninomiya’s cry, witnessing one vampire abandon his hold on Jun to beat and kick Sho’s friend until the small vampire had no more strength left to stand. Just as a yell from the end of the alley signalled the arrival of another potential saviour, something sharp pierced through Jun’s stomach, at such speed that Jun had no way of reacting, his senses far too slow against a vampire. Jun remembers cruel black eyes and a red grin, he remembers the elder vampire in the back stating that “finally, we got him.”, and how Jun thought it did not refer to him, but to Sho. _Oh, Sho…_ After that, Jun felt too tired to keep his eyes open, finding the ground beneath him so welcoming, even when he felt the presence of a friend by his side, listened as Nino brokenly stuttered Sho’s name, mentioned Roppongi station and “We’re in an alley.” Jun did not even remember where he was and why.

Jun wonders if this awful, unfair meeting could have been avoided if he had stayed at home. His cruel mind tells him they would have gotten to him another day, they would have gotten to him at some point for sure.

“Sho,” Jun’s croaks, and he witnesses Sho start and smile at Jun, at Jun showing signs of life, but Jun knows the clock is ticking, “Sho, I don’t want to die.” His voice is frail as glass and hoarse. It is a childish statement, but Jun is so afraid. So afraid of the darkness at the edges of his vision. He is so afraid he is never going to see Sho again. But he can hear it himself, he knows it deep within himself, can feel that slipping sensation, as if he is falling and floating at the same time. He reaches out for Sho, begs him to take his hand and hold onto it, because Jun has no strength to hold onto Sho, “I’m sorry. I just wanted- It happened so fast.” His voice breaks. There is no energy left within him. At least Sho is ok. At least…

Jun hardly recognises Sho, with the haunted look on his face, the desperation in his eyes. His eternally stoic composure has crumbled, leaving the vampire hunched and looking like he has been beaten into nothing but desperate submission to the world. Jun does not want to see his lover like this, it hurts him more than the pain of his wound. Sho keeps apologizing, and Jun wishes he could tell Sho that he is a fool, that Jun chose this himself, and he would make the same choice again, despite knowing the endgame. Jun would still want to risk his life to be with Sho, to be by Sho’s side in this crisis, in their effort to bring their societies together. Jun loves Sho, and he just wishes his voice would be stronger in these final moments, so that he could tell him, tell him how his heart beat for Sho from the moment he met him, their connection stable static when they finally trusted in each other and what was building between them.

“Is- is the concept of-” Jun swallows a thick lump of something and tastes iron all the way down his throat, but he has to ask this, he needs to. All while blaming himself for not ignoring his fear and asking before it was too late, “-of mates still a thing?” Sho is getting blurry in Jun’s vision, and Jun tries and fails at clearing the image by blinking. It leaves him crying; he so badly wants to see Sho, wants to memorize his eyes, his lips, the shape of his face and the way he holds Jun close, even if those memories will be forgotten the moment Jun stops breathing.

Sho’s chuckle comes out a sob, and Jun feels his warm hand stroke the clammy skin on Jun’s cheek, “It is. Jun, it is, and you’re mine. You’ll always be mine.”

Fresh tears pool in Jun’s eyes, slide down onto Sho’s skin, but Jun smiles. His dying heart feels a little warmer at the promise.

“Thank you.” Jun does not know if Sho can hear, if the words even have a sound and is not just shaping of Jun’s lips, “I’m- You’re mine too. My mate.” _I’m sorry for leaving you._

It will not be long now.

And Jun had so been looking forward to this new life, the dream of being with Sho, each other’s mates for the rest of Jun’s life. Life is cruel, giving Jun what he wants most, only when there is no more time. Jun reaches for Sho’s face, wanting to touch one last time, but his arm will not move. Oh. The physical pain is gone, but the pain in Jun’s heart is unbearable. He can no longer see Sho’s face, can only hear his voice, and Jun hates Death, for taking away even his vision and mobility in these last moments. He wants the last thing he sees to be Sho, not a blurry mass of light and shadow, Jun cannot distinguish. He has never been so terrified, so regretful and so devastated, yet he is given no more tears, his body cannot assemble the energy.

He is fading but Sho’s voice follows. That soothing voice Jun loves more than anything. In his last moments, Jun feels regretful for leaving Sho, knowing that the pain in Jun’s chest is undoubtedly even worse in Sho’s. He did not mean to, but Jun stole Sho’s heart, to crush it mercilessly.

Weightless and numb as his body is, he feels no warmth when Sho clutches Jun close to his body, shaking while he holds Jun so tight it should hurt, “No, nonono. No please, Jun, stay with me. Alone, tomorrow is worth nothing, I can’t continue this _wretched_ eternal life without you. _Please!_ I need you. I need you to stay with me.”

_Stay with me._

_Stay…_

 

*

 

_“That’s lethal, Sho-chan! You’ll be so weakened, and for someone like you, that could kill you.”_

_“I am a pureblood Nino. If anyone can save him, its me.”_

_*_

 

 

Exhaustion. Above all else, he feels exhausted, sore, as though he has been running for days, outgrowing his limbs and carrying the pressure of that darkness looming over him until now finally, the force is letting up, like the sky is no longer trying to crush him beneath its weight. There is a burning pain in his chest and in his throat, a thirst like his body has been drained of liquid, and a hunger so strong it feels like his stomach is consuming itself from the inside in its desperation. But simultaneously, he feels a churning in his gut, he is nauseous, wants to throw up. He feels so endlessly weak, yet sensing a strength like nothing he has ever experienced before, in his muscles and bones.

His body feels limp, and he is so tired he just wants to keep sleeping, but instinct tells him to try and open his eyes. There is a smell in the air, behind his eyelids, out of reach – though getting closer like he is rising to the surface of a bottomless pond – of blood, but cutting through it and making warmth spread in his chest is the scent of cedar, of dark chocolate and of leather. And with every inhale of those nuances, he feels himself come alive, every gulp of the delicious smell igniting his nerves and making his muscles pulse, his blood course through his veins again. Like receiving the kiss of life from above him, he gasps loudly, his ears ringing, and his back arches like a shockwave has been sent through his nerves.

He attempts to rise, but then there is once again pressure on his chest, his shoulders, though this pressure is weak – he can easily push through. He snarls. _Wait._

“Hey, hey easy. Sho-chan, he’s awake.”

The first thing he sees as sight returns is a blurred slumped figure in the corner.

“That’s earlier than expected,” the figure croaks and his voice seems to echo and vibrate through Jun’s entire being.

A low whining noise sounds in the room, and only after a moment does Jun realise he is the one creating the sound, and immediately cuts it off. Since when do noises like this erupt from his body?

“Jun.”

That voice addressing Jun makes his eyes snap open further, and Jun gets a good look at his mate – _mate!_ –  who looks more like the creature that he is, than Jun has ever seen him before. His skin is pale and transparent like matted glass, and there are dark bags under his eyes, bluish from more than just exhaustion, but despite of it, his eyes draw Jun in, Jun’s breath getting stuck in his throat. Sho’s eyes are red, so very red. The colour is strong enough for Jun to be sure that what red he has seen before has not been real red, this colour is languid and alive in its strength. _Crimson._ This is the eyes of a pureblood vampire and every other colour pale in comparison. Jun is now sure; this is the true form of the vampire, without the mirage he wears, and Jun cannot tear his eyes away from the almost translucent skin, white like moonlight, and the contrast Sho’s carmine eyes make. His mouth and neck throb when Jun wonders how long Sho’s fangs are in this form. Pleasant tingles run down every bone of his spine.

While Jun sits frozen, taking in the sight of his love in front of him, the sight of his mate, all the pain of the endless darkness seems to vanish; every second he spends eye-locked with Sho tears away at the memory of death. Jun watches as Sho’s eyes too seem to come alive, and Sho sits up straight. A tired, but relieved smile fills his face and for a moment Jun shares Sho’s excruciating internal pain, and Jun’s heart yearns to hold him, to lift that burden off of him.

His arms seem to raise themselves while his brain is still so clouded, trying to catch up on everything that has happened, everything that has changed around him. Jun is aware that something is not as it should be; not with the myriad of smells, the pandemonium of sounds enhanced making his ears buzz, but one person is much more important than Jun’s comprehension.

“Sho.”

And then Sho is right there, in his arms, fast – yet slower than usual – and Jun crumbles, knowing he should have lost this. This, right here, Sho’s warmth should have been lost to Jun forever. Or was it Jun who should have been lost?

“Why am I not dead?” Jun chokes out, patient when he hears his weeping echoed in Sho’s voice, smells salt, and knows Sho probably needs time to answer that question.

“Because Sho-chan risked his life for you.” Out of the shadows steps a small figure, Jun had not noticed, a vampire with eyes of amber and a voice of winter, “Right now, Sho-chan is in mortal danger.”

In danger?

Jun tries to pull away, to grasp the situation, however despite Sho’s apparent condition, he is still strong enough to hold Jun firmly in place.

“You idiot.” Sho snarls, and Ninomiya seems to snap out of an angry trance, retracting a bit, “I would be long dead, if I lost him. All but a shell of myself, and you know I would be no match for even the lessest of vampires in such a state. You’ve seen it happen, when _one_ is torn apart.”

“So you feel it even now?” Ninomiya’s voice is small, but Jun can smell something sweet on him, and it makes him think of the emotion of hope, “That Jun-kun is your-”

“ _Mate._ ”

The word sends vibrations through Jun’s bloodstream, a beckoning song, like coming home, causing his body to react once more, before his brain, “Mate.” Jun mirrors.

“It’s even stronger now.”

Jun lets his eyes run over the small form of Ninomiya, and suddenly recall appears in a flash, letting Jun remember exactly how Ninomiya looked when Jun saw him last – days, weeks, months ago? – and there is no way Jun can be angry at him, for the hostile words. Ninomiya stepped into harm’s way for Jun, and even afterwards it appears that Ninomiya’s best friend needed to sacrifice much too, for Jun to survive. Hardly fair, and Jun understands his anger, his frustration and his fear.

“I’m sorry.”

Sho loosens his arms around Jun, but he does not let go. Their hands stay linked where Sho sits beside Jun, on what appears to be a bed; Jun has yet to figure that out along with why the curtains are drawn, silver-pale light causing eerie shadows to move lazily along the walls.

“Jun-”

“You tried to save me, to protect me, and it got you hurt. Despite what happened, I was so grateful to you in that moment. Honestly, I never thought you’d abandon your shadows and risk your life for me, a human.” Jun whispers, remembering how seeing Ninomiya then had made Jun feel a little safer, and most importantly not alone in the horrible situation, where he stood no chance. He had never felt so useless and without control, with the knowledge that no matter what he said or did, the pain would not stop, and those responsible would never hesitate.

Ninomiya’s eyes do not leave Jun’s form, they seem to rest on him until Ninomiya is satisfied in his analysis, and his body sags in a released breath, he appears to have been holding, “I made a promise to Sho-chan. Not that I understand, but you appear to mean a lot to him.”

“Nino-” Sho’s threat gets cut off.

“It was nothing really. I heal fast. As opposed to you.”

Which brings them back to the matter at hand, Jun supposes. He looks at Ninomiya with what he hopes is deep thankfulness and regret – if only Jun was not so weak, if only he was not human.

“What exactly… happened?” Immediately, Sho’s hand seems to grip Jun’s tighter, bringing it up so Sho can put it to his lips, and Jun stares when Sho’s eyes once more become wet and shiny, confused that Sho seems to be so sad. What could have been tears of happiness, now seem to be more bittersweet, “Sho. Sho, what happened? How long was I out?”

“WHERE is he? How is he?? Is he awake!?” The door slams open and all three of them jump in shock as a flurry of brown hair and long limbs makes its way inside, and Jun’s heart seems to lift when he recognizes his friend. Aiba is wide-eyed and out of breath, and Jun hurts for him, for the fatigue and sorrow visible on his face, “Is he a vampire now?”

He continues to frantically fire questions left and right until Ninomiya steps up to him and kicks his ass. Literally kicks his ass; lifting his leg high and smacking Aiba’s behind with the front of his foot, and Jun cannot help the muffled laugh at Aiba’s shocked expression and following good-natured grin aimed at Ninomiya.

“Calm down, you uncontrollable headless chicken.”

Clearly, these two have grown to know each other, perhaps even grown close. How long was Jun out of it? And what… What exactly did Aiba say? Realisation seems to sink in, and Jun cannot look at Sho. Suddenly, it is hard to breathe.

Ninomiya’s voice somehow cuts through the increasing hollow rush in Jun’s ears, “To answer your question, J, you were out of it for two weeks. Much less than what I expected. What any of us expected. It is not normal for the change to be completed so fast.”

“Ch- change?”

“Yes. Sho-chan-”

“It was the only way.” Part of Jun does not want to look at him, so afraid of what he is going to find, but he seems to have no choice with how Sho’s voice somehow always beckons Jun’s eyes to him. Jun finds him looking wounded and afraid, Sho’s hand still gripping Jun‘s firmly, as though afraid that Jun is going to bolt and disappear, “You were bleeding out in my arms, Jun. I couldn’t- I can’t live without you. So, I made a selfish choice, with the knowledge that you probably wouldn’t want this. That you-” Sho’s voice crumbles, “That you’d rather choose death.”

Suddenly, Jun feels very tired. He remembers his exhaustion, now starting to comprehend why.

“I was already dead…”

“Almost. We made it just in time.” Ninomiya says, slowly. And a wary tension seems to settle over all of them, even Aiba is silent, looking as guilty as the other two, despite how he cannot possibly have had anything to do with it.

“I’m… Not human.” _Vampire._ Jun cannot say it, it will not make it past his lips. It is as though, the moment he says it, it will become real. So, if he just refrains from doing so, will his fears be just that, fears?

The rushing in his ears blocks out Aiba’s frantic, messy, mumbled apology of not coming to Jun’s rescue even if he works in Roppongi, successfully cut-off with another kick to his ass from Ninomiya.

His stomach grumbles and twists, and Jun wants to vomit, wants to throw up his insides, all that feels alien inside him. What exactly _is_ inside him?

Ninomiya’s voice sounds odd to his ears, “Sho-chan, he’s panicking, and he’s starving,” Jun can feel Sho pull away from his side, and Jun is torn between clinging to him and sighing in relief at the distance, “No, oh no you don’t, I swear, I will kill you myself if you give him more of your blood. You’re drained already. Here, I have a backup. Thanks, Aiba-chan.”

Jun’s vision is fraying at the edges, burning as though his eyeballs are setting fire to themselves, and then there is a disgusting smell in his face. The sight of a bag of blood makes Jun twist away in horror, stuttering a “NO” as soon as he realizes what this means, what he has become. Somehow, the smell that makes his stomach jump one moment, now makes his mouth water, and then there is a sharp sting beneath his teeth, by his canines, and a wretched sob tears itself from Jun’s throat.

“No, please-” breath hitching, Jun knows his body craves this, needs it, but he weeps as he accepts the bag. Hands trembling, he cannot bear to look at any of the others, when he insists on bringing the straw to his lips himself, sensing a set of fangs dropping down around the straw. His entire body is shaking, his human mind fighting against a vampire body, and it feels like his darkest nightmare has come true. He never wanted this. Never.

He drinks. And then there is no fighting it, there is no turning back.

He cannot stop, clawing out and ripping the following two bags from Ninomiya’s hands, Sho’s friend somehow having calculated and anticipated Jun’s hunger. In the following minutes, there is only one thing in Jun’s world, only one thing that matters; the taste of the warm, thick liquid on his parched tongue, filling his stomach and satisfying his unbearable hunger.

“Look at this guy, you’d think he is a pureblood with how greedy he is.” Ninomiya comments, and Sho’s eyes narrow when he looks at Jun, having gotten up and is now merely standing rigidly beside Jun’s bed.

Once Jun’s stomach is sated, Jun finds himself unable to stay upright, and what he remembers next is that darkness takes him and pulls him under as soon as he lays down, only briefly thinking that this must be the softest pillow he has ever rested on.

-

The next time he wakes, Jun allows himself to take in everything lazily. Lets his senses reboot and slowly open up to take in his surroundings, to analyse the enhanced smells and sounds and not let his brain become overwhelmed. He lingers on each of the senses in turn, experimenting with his control over them, and it feels like he is but an infant again, knowing nothing of this body he has been placed in, its mechanics and buttons. The same buttons seem to work, only the effects are enhanced at least threefold, Jun calculates, yet not knowing if this is the limit.

All of this, Jun is experimenting with, while harbouring a profound sense of safety and belonging inside him. And hours probably pass before he realises why, now adjusted enough to his senses to reach out further than his own body and find a warmth beside his own. Sho is curled around him protectively, every limb draped over Jun’s, and when Jun stirs, Sho growls deep in his chest, the sound is more possessive and caring than threatening.

Jun takes a deep breath, holds it down for a few seconds before he exhales and lets calm fall over him. He is keeping his emotions at bay, for the moment exploring his body and mind calculatedly, coolly, and not letting the effects and discoveries impact him in any way – just observing what happens when he does this, does that. But beneath it all, Jun is still terrified of what has happened to him. 31 years in one body which has slowly evolved and grown strong, and now a drastic change has taken place over the span of just a few weeks, during which Jun has not been awake. Sho’s presence is soothing, but unnerving at the same time, knowing he is the one who did this to Jun.

The instincts in Jun that tell him to stay by Sho’s side, and the strong love Jun knows he feels for the vampire make it impossible for him to just up and leave, instead willing to wait in order to learn what happened after he blacked out. Honestly, there is nothing else he can do, trapped as he is in a state he is unsure of what entitles.

“I’m sorry.”

Jun starts. The impression that a vampire can hear anything currently does not apply to Jun, who had not realised Sho was awake. Or maybe Sho was just that soundless.

He spends a moment on another deep inhale and lays his arms over the ones Sho has resting around Jun’s middle, “I feel like I missed so much. I don’t understand what’s going on.” He admits in a small voice, feeling very vulnerable, “I don’t understand what’s happened to _me_.”

“I understand if you hate me.” Jun may feel exposed, but Sho sounds rawer than Jun has ever heard him, and he suddenly remembers how Sho looked the last time he saw him; broken, devoid of strength and all but a shell of the powerful, collected being that defines him, as he bent over Jun. Jun recalls telling himself he did not want to see Sho like that. Not again.

And that thought is what makes Jun turn around, despite the struggle it proves when Sho is afraid of facing him.

“Hey.”

Sho does not raise his eyes, his bangs falling over his forehead and lashes. Jun notes that he looks better, the bruises under his eyes now just shadows, his eyes back to their soothing black colour and his skin less unnaturally pale.

“Sho. Look at me, please.” Jun takes Sho’s face between his hands and lifts it. Jun may feel frustration and anger and regret, but damn him, he never wants to see Sho broken, especially not by his hand. He remembers the deep, gnawing regret he felt when he thought he was going to die and leave Sho with loneliness and a hole where his heart used to be, “I-” deep breath, “I am scared. I am scared, and I am confused, and I never… I never wanted to be a vampire.” Slipping, Jun shakes on his next inhale, croaking when he continues, “But I also recall telling you I didn’t want to die. I was so afraid of never seeing you again. And I told you, you were mine. My mate.” The vision of Sho’s eyes opening for Jun, his lovely eyes catching Jun’s, is blurry, but this time, Jun feels more alive than ever, not slipping, but firmly planted right here, right beside Sho. This time, his body allows him to cry.

“And I was so afraid of losing you, Jun.” Sho’s breath ghosts over Jun’s lips, “Imagining a tomorrow without you in this life… These two weeks have been hell, not knowing if you would ever wake up. The first couple of days were the worst. I had to- I had to almost drain you of what little blood there was left in you after what those wretched suckers did. I-” Jun hears Sho calm himself in the dark, and Jun reaches out a hand, places it on Sho’s pulse, stroking softly to soothe the storm inside him, “And then we made you drink mine, after Nino’s protesting. At first, we thought it was too late. Jun, I have never wished for anything so much as for you to close your lips around the wound and take what you needed so badly. And I was horrible, terribly selfish for thinking so, even when you choked on it and your body convulsed in rejection of the blood. You disliked vampires so much little more than half a year ago, and now… I am so sorry, but I would do it all over again, to have you with me. Even if you choose for us to part, it would be enough to know you are breathing again. I cannot believe how it feels like I’ve known you for a lifetime, when I’ve barely had you for two months.”

It is true that they have only been together for little more than a month. And it is true that all these bold words, what Sho sacrificed, and what Jun currently chooses to accept, should only be considered normal in a year-old relationship. However, Jun feels the same. The relationship with Sho feels very new, raw, yet still Jun holds that deep wish of being considered Sho’s mate, and would he wish for such if what he feels for Sho is only attraction? He remembers the conversation with Shun and Toma, remembers the way his heart throbbed painfully when Shun inquired about mates, when Jun knew such a thing would not be possible between a vampire and a human. But what of now…? Never did Jun wish to become a vampire, but he did wish to be considered and acknowledged by both humans and vampires as Sho’s mate. It dawns on him then, that to get that wish fulfilled, he had to make a sacrifice. What right did he have to wish for an impossible thing, unwilling to give up part of himself in return?

The room falls silent, while Jun does not respond verbally, instead with the hand on Sho’s neck, Jun touches skin, revels in the smoothness of flesh over collarbones and pectoral muscles, enjoys the way Sho’s breath turns a little uneven and listens to Sho’s heartbeat, so easily audible for Jun now.

If he could practice on Sho, like this, Jun is certain he would be a master at controlling these new abilities in no time.

A breathy chuckle against his neck and the following way Sho nuzzles his face against Jun’s hair tells Jun he just made that statement out loud. Sho then proceeds to tentatively run his fingers down Jun’s back, feather-light touches against the nape of Jun’s neck, along his spine, around his shoulder blades. Quiet befalls them again, and Jun closes his eyes to stay in this moment, to try and push all disturbing thoughts out of his head, to remember that he is _alive_ , that had Sho not made the decision he did, had Sho not sacrificed his sanity, his blood, Jun would not have been able to feel this moment. He would not have been able to feel anything. 

“Do you think,” Sho swallows, “Do you think you could get used to this?”

Jun presses further against Sho’s chest, lips ghosting, yet not touching, over Sho’s jaw, “It will take time. I think, had it not been your blood, it would’ve been a different story.”

At those words, Sho abruptly pulls away, but not so far that Jun is concerned. Jun is unsure himself whether what he said was to tease Sho, to be honest or to simply state what he has only just realised himself. He was not turned by just anyone, by any blood. Since Sho is a pureblood, does that affect Jun’s status as a lesser vampire? How much of a lesser vampire does it make him? And considering the laws on turning humans into vampires, will there be any consequences for Sho? Jun must admit, he knows very little about the loopholes of that law, does not know whether any of the councils need to give a vampire permission to turn someone. He should have asked Shun about it ages ago.

“There is something, I need to tell you.” Sho’s face falls and becomes sober, but instead of becoming nervous, Jun holds onto the flicker of sadness he sees in Sho’s eyes, “Because you now have the blood of the Sakurai family in your veins. The blood of me. And the blood of my father.”

Jun furrows his brows, unsure where Sho is going with this. However, he wants Sho to keep looking at him and thus moves his hand up over Sho’s chest to his cheek. Sho raises his eyes to Jun with little resistance, “I do not consider your father to be in this equation at all.” Jun firmly states, “Only you. And me.”

But Sho shakes his head, “I want you to be my mate.” Even if Sho has implied it many times now, hearing it so boldly stated makes Jun’s heart rate increase and his face heat up. He has always preferred straight-forward confessions, “But you have a right to know the secrets that follow me, before you commit to something, you might regret.”

“Sho-”

“I killed him, Jun.”

The words ring in the room like a slap, and leave a sudden, unwanted silence. Alone as they are, Jun feels like the room becomes darker somehow, wider and emptier.

“What?”

Sho is pulling away now, away from Jun’s hands to run his fingers through his own hair, and he looks tired again; tired and frightened, and Jun’s heart aches to see him like this.

“You must know, as a journalist. The mystery of my father’s death must’ve been a topic of conversation more than once in your office, especially once you’d interviewed me.”

“Well yes. It was.” Jun chews the inside of his lower lip, not liking Sho’s tone, where this is going.

“And you too, must’ve speculated.”

Jun licks his lips, feels fear reach out for him. Not because of Sho’s story, but for the distance Sho is placing between them. This is not what Jun wants. How can Sho say he wants Jun, and then pull away like this? Jun does not understand. Sho is _not_ the one who should be hesitating.

Sho finally looks at him again, when Jun gives him no answer, and Sho blinks rapidly, his eyes clearing and he appears to snap out of some inner struggle, “I- ah damn. This is not-. I’m sorry, Jun.” Sho’s embrace is back, his strong arms curling around Jun’s shoulders and head as Sho pulls him tightly against him, “This is not going very well. I’m so sorry.”

Jun clings to him this time with a firm hold on Sho’s sides and buries his face below Sho’s jaw, “Don’t distance yourself like that. I don’t care who killed your father, but please tell me; I care about you, so I want to know why you look so haunted.”

There is no way Jun will let Sho pull away this time, so tightly woven around each other as they are, Jun encourages Sho to tell him the rest like this, when they can feel each other’s heartbeats, hear the breaths of one another and share something which will remain right here, between them.

Sho takes a deep breath, and Jun gently strokes his arm, “It was turning from bad to worse, Jun,” he starts, speaking slowly and Jun gets the impression that Sho has not revisited this memory in a very long time, “I saw how he was becoming power hungry and abusing. Every day, he lashed out at someone, be it a lesser vampire, his secretary or me. He no longer cared for every individual vampire, barely looked at the average citizen anymore, as though they were mere cobbles beneath his feet, and it went against the founding purpose of the council. I couldn’t believe the other members turned a blind eye to it.

“I told you how the marriage between my mother and father was arranged, for a child of even stronger blood to be bred between them. Well, my mother died giving birth to me, because of that power she and my father created together. Because of the strength in my blood even as an infant, she died. And yet-” Underneath Jun’s fingertips, he can feel the slight shaking over Sho’s skin, the stress and sorrow so deeply buried in the vampire. How long has he been carrying this around inside him?

Sho forces the last words out through gritted teeth, “Yet, I could feel one day, that my mother’s sacrifice, what she’d given to bring me into this world meant nothing to my father. Because I did not follow his preaching, his ideals, because I _wasn’t him_ , he feared what I was becoming; the influence and strength I was building, for the sake of keeping our people safe. I could see it in his eyes, that he would not hesitate to kill me, simply for being a threat to his position. I don’t know if he thought I might strike at his throat, but I had never entertained the thought until that day. Do you know, how terrible a crime it is, to kill your own kin in vampire society? I bet my father did, but didn’t think anyone would oppose him, even if he committed such an act.”

Jun squeezes his eyes shut, only able to imagine the incredible pain Sho must have felt, realising his father wanted him dead. As if the pureblood is not sacrificing enough daily, all the trials Sho appears to have gone through, simply because of the blood in his veins.

“If you think this will scare me away, you’re wrong.” Jun tilts his head back to stare into Sho’s eyes, the slumbering red making his eyes look like shards of coal, “I may be far from as strong as you, lesser vampire as I’ve become, but I want to be by your side to shoulder whatever burden you’re carrying. Sho, I love you. And I love what you are, down to the blood in your veins. I want no one else, and as I implied, I accept this exactly because it’s _your_ blood that turned me.” Jun runs his lips over Sho’s cheekbone, his jawline in deep affection and devotion, “Yours is not the blood of the Sakurai family. It’s the blood of Sakurai Sho, of yourself. The mixed blood of your father’s power and your mother’s kindness. And now, it’s my blood too. Ours.”

Their eyes lock for several seconds, Sho appearing to search Jun’s for any sign of hesitation, of fear. But he will not find any, and as soon as he seems to realise this, he surges forward to press their lips together.

“Thank you, Jun. You’re right, you’re absolutely right. The past is over, and there is no reason to regret and fear it. I’m a fool.”

Jun’s chuckle is broken off by another quick, deep kiss, “You can be sometimes.”

“Well, there goes your free pass. You’re in for it now,” Sho warns, a childish teasing tone taking over the previous solemn notes, and Jun cannot help the fresh wave of happiness welling over him, now that they can put this too behind them and move forward, “I’ll make you mine. If given the choice, I will be the only one who ever feeds you, Jun.” The admission should not have the effect it has on Jun, but Sho’s eyes are shining red now, and Jun wonders if Sho no longer bothers to hide his natural features or if he is still too weak to uphold the mirage. Jun finds the crimson orbs so hypnotic, baiting him and capturing him, “With my blood in your veins, no one is going to think less of you, and you’ll be stronger than most.” Sho draws Jun closer again, to run his mouth along Jun’s neck, and it is pure instinct when Jun tilts his head sideways in submission, giving Sho all the access he needs, “I cannot wait to see you evolve fully, Jun.”

The quiet is shattered by Jun’s sudden, shaky moan, which takes Jun himself by surprise, when he feels sharp teeth scrape along the thick sterno muscle at the side of his neck. Fire snakes up his thighs and makes him tremble in Sho’s arms. The effect of the simple touch is so overwhelming, arousal hitting Jun hard, and it leaves him out of breath, chest constricting like he was just hit by a truck. He has never felt anything like it; the attraction electric and almost audibly cracking in the space between them. Barriers fully down and bared as they are to each other, nothing is left to stand in the way of raw emotions, of vampiric instincts.

In the next moment, Sho is on top of him, turning them around and diving straight in to press his open mouth to Jun’s and take away any further noises, Jun could think to make. His wet tongue is quickly in Jun’s mouth, slippery over lips and teeth, and when Jun writhes, Sho captures his wrists and presses his body weight down over Jun. Instead of melting into the kiss, Jun pushes right back, follows Sho when he draws back and earns himself a frustrated groan, and Sho putting additional force into the open-mouthed kiss.

There has been enough talk for now, proclamations of forgiveness are unnecessary when their mutual desires are speaking for them, and for Jun, it feels like he is finally home again with Sho’s warmth enveloping him like this, the deep wish to be together with Sho reflected right back at Jun, with the way Sho kisses him; possessively, dominating, adoringly. It does not matter what either of them are, they still want each other more than anything else.

“Never leave me again.” Sho begs between damp kisses pressed behind Jun’s ear.

Jun frees his wrists to wrap them punishingly tight around Sho’s shoulders, to dig his nails into skin with the purpose of causing little bites of pain, “If you never leave me. Don’t you dare leave me.”

“That’s a promise.”

-

Sho still seems to be able to read Jun like an open book.

Now that Jun has almost recovered, he is hit full-force by his new reality and the new identity that comes along with it. Despite trying hard to come to terms with the fact, deep down, Jun feels a profound sorrow and fear of what his friends and family are going to think. Will rumours say he too, like many others, fell prey to the charm of a vampire, his seemingly firm resolve meaning nothing. Will they speculate that Sho hypnotized him to turn his back on the human society, will they take his article as empty words or an attempt to justify his own selfish wish to become a vampire? There are so many questions, so many unknowns and it is all that Jun can do to keep himself whole, to not shatter in Sho’s arms.

Apparently perceiving all this, without Jun putting it into words, Sho’s takes away his thoughts and showers Jun in affection and attempts to show Jun what he cannot yet see.

Jun is stripped down, naked from head to toe, when Sho moves him in front of the broad floor-to-ceiling mirror in this room, which Jun has learned Sho worked with Aiba to decorate to Jun’s tastes, even though he was unconscious. Right next to Sho’s bedroom, and still with one wall too many to separate them. What Jun sees in the mirror is just a paler version of himself from weeks ago. He looks like he has not seen the sun for a few years, and his hair is longer, his bangs falling into his eyes in slim strands.

“I need a haircut,” he observes, and Sho chuckles from behind him.

The vampire’s body is close enough for Jun to feel the warmth emanating from his skin – before he met Sho, Jun was certain vampires were ice cold – yet it is too close, making Jun’s heart hammer in his chest in anticipation and shyness. It seems too long since Sho held him, and will it be different this time? Jun shivers when he remembers what Sho told him after their first time together; _“If your skin was a little harder, your body more resilient…”_

Sho has not even touched Jun, and already Jun finds his erection proud and weeping, on full display with them facing the mirror. Jun’s skin is slowly growing more and more red, and when he closes his eyes, a soft whine passes by his lips.

“Does this embarrass you?” Sho’s voice sounds like burning gravel; hot and raspy and Jun releases a quick breath.

“Yes.”

“I want you to see what I see, when I look at you. And I want you to look at yourself when I take you and make you mine. If you want to back out, you should tell me now.”

As Jun moves to turn around – because he wants to look at Sho – Sho’s hand grabs his hipbone, holding him firmly and showcasing his power, since even now, with Jun’s new strength, he is no match for Sho, and then Sho’s chest comes into contact with Jun’s back. The very first thing Jun feels is Sho’s cock, damp and hot against his backside, and he drags out a long moan, head lolling to the side for Sho to kiss his neck. Jun knows exactly where he wants Sho to move, his arousal quickly heightening as he tries and fails at twisting his hips, to make Sho’s length rub against his crack. The image of what it will feel like to have Sho in him makes him dizzy with need.

“Do you want me as your mate, Jun?” Sho whispers and his voice sounds like silk and clear water, and Jun thinks Sho may be able to hypnotize him without even aiming for it.

“I will never want anyone like I want you. I want to be yours. And I want you to be mine.” Jun reaches backwards and sinks half-long claws into Sho’s thigh, just to show off his control and signal to Sho exactly how he wants it this time, “ _If_ you can break me.” There has to be advantages to the new blood in Jun’s veins, and Jun will not be satisfied if this is not one of them.

Sho growls loudly, and Jun swears his legs shake under him in pleasure, “Oh, I will break you good, Jun. To see if that strengthened body of yours is resilient enough, let’s test it, shall we?” Sho’s arms come snaking around Jun’s lower abdomen then, teasing their way down the line between thigh and pelvis, and Jun moans, wondering if he can remain standing with the way it tingles and burns like needles along his inner thighs, “Look at you. Already pliant in my arms, aren’t you? This is very tempting.” Sho runs his lips along Jun’s nape, and then Jun feels a hot tongue pressing on the muscle at his neck, bold and leaving a wet trail. When he looks into the mirror, he witnesses the way Sho’s eyes are fixed upon where he just licked, gaze glowing red just as he opens his mouth and his upper fangs drop down smoothly.

Jun’s body seems to melt and soar at the same time, and he holds his breath in anticipation, not able to tear his eyes from the image of Sho so close to biting him, watching it happen.

Sho’s eyes snap to meet Jun’s in the mirror, and a split-second later, his fangs pierce Jun’s skin. But only for a moment before he retracts them again, which makes Jun groan in complaint.

“Are you crazy?” Sho chuckles, “No way I am going to drain the blood I spent so much time getting into you. But I’ll enjoy biting you again.” A second time, Sho’s fangs tear Jun’s flesh, further up his neck, towards his ear, “There needs to be blood enough for our bonding, love.” Another bite, this time with more force, and Jun yells as canines dig deep into the hollow underneath his jaw, and Sho hums, “You taste so good.”

“H-how does a bonding work?” Jun stutters out in between kisses and bites and Sho mumbling about how it’s a shame really, that Jun heals so fast now.

“Actually, we are not far from it. You’ve already felt it too, haven’t you? The connection between us, a magnetic pull much stronger than just attraction,” Jun gasps in surprise, when he suddenly feels cool fingers rub between his buttocks, teasing the sensitive skin, “That’s because you’ve drunk my blood, and I’ve fed on yours. Only, the time in between was too long and none of us left a permanent mark.”

Sho moves away then, removing his presence from around Jun’s body, and Jun bites his lip to keep from complaining this time, and instead tries to be patient and watch as Sho walks – as naked as Jun – to the bedroom drawer. Aside from the fatigue around Sho’s eyes, there is no other trace of the powerless being Jun bore witness to in that alley. To know this turnaround had to do with Jun, Jun’s presence, to know that by coming back to life, the life has also returned to Sho’s eyes, along with the strength to keep his body up and walking as proudly as Jun wants to see him, is more than enough for Jun to accept his fate. If the sacrifice to keep Sho breathing is simply Jun’s humanity, he will gladly offer it time and time again. Regardless of whether Sho wants him afterwards.   

“We still need this, I’m afraid.” Sho taunts, showcasing his pointed teeth in a grin as he waves the small tube of lubricant.

But Sho wants him. Wants Jun as much as Jun wants Sho, and Jun has been a fool to think otherwise.

“Hey Jun, don’t cry. What did I say wrong?” Sho is rushing to Jun’s side, and only then does Jun notice the dampness below his eyes.

“Nothing,” he smiles through the tears. He has always been emotional, Shun and Toma always let him hear it, “I’m just happy.”

Soft palms embrace his face and Sho’s fingers are there to wipe away the salty tears, “My love. My Jun.” Sho puts his forehead against Jun, just as Jun puts his hands on top of Sho’s, “I’m so lucky to have you.”

“Mine.” Jun tentatively whispers, slowly raising his eyes to meet Sho’s.

And Sho smiles in return, “Mine.” He confirms, “And now, Jun.” Letting go of Jun’s face, Sho’s hands boldly and sensually move down Jun’s neck, past his chest where Sho’s index fingers slowly tease across Jun’s nipples, and around until Sho has a firm hold around Jun’s buttocks, “We’ll make it official.”

Made to face the mirror again, Jun fights to keep his eyes from closing at the sensations Sho brings to his body; running his hands down Jun’s sides, finding all the most sensitive areas and rubbing them in affection. One hand returns to Jun’s nipple to rub it until it stands stiff and Jun whimpers in pleasure, unable to control it when he pushes back against Sho, to feel his arousal leave smears on Jun’s hipbone and lower back.

“Impatient?”

“Yes.” Jun hisses and quickly grabs a hold of Sho’s wrist. Sho lets Jun guide his hand away from Jun’s chest as Jun raises it, “I want you in me.” His heart thumps against his rib cage, as Jun boldly brings Sho’s fingers to his mouth. It feels dirty – but Jun is eager to find the right buttons to press to make Sho impatient and uncontrollable – when he opens his mouth for two of Sho’s fingers, sucking the pads in first with a soft sigh.

And the first sign of a positive effect is Sho’s choked gasp. It encourages Jun to suck deeper, take the two fingers another joint further into his mouth, to moan softly around them. Jun closes his eyes slowly, and when he opens them again, it is to headily meet Sho’s glowing red eyes in the mirror. With his tongue swirling around and in between the digits, Jun makes sure to coat the fingers wetly, sucking them in and out, until he manages to take Sho to the knuckle.

“Jun.”

It is a warning, yet Jun does not heed it. Neither does he when Sho presses forward against him, rutting upwards to make his cock slide in between Jun’s buttocks. Jun pulls Sho’s hand out a little, just to spread the rest of his fingers and open his mouth wider to press his tongue against the middle of Sho’s palm. Mid satisfied hum, Sho’s hand suddenly takes control back and closes over Jun’s mouth, making Jun’s eyes snap open. But in the mirror, he finds Sho’s eyes burning into Jun’s, strong and animalistic. And when Sho’s other hand locks around Jun’s cock, the moan Jun releases gets muffled by Sho’s hand acting as a gag.

“Are you challenging me, love? Want me to teach you what happens, when you do that? I could easily tell you.” A wet swipe of Sho’s tongue runs over Jun’s entire ear, “You lose.”

Sho is merciless and immediately sets a relentless pace up and down Jun’s length, and the pleasure burns over Jun’s thighs, quickly has him quaking in Sho’s arms. The hand on his mouth keeps the desperate denial from escaping yet…

“Nnnng-”

“What? Not like this?”

Jun shakes his head rapidly, feels the tentative tightening in his pelvis, but he does not want to lose it yet. So insanely aroused, Jun wants Sho in him, he does not want to come by Sho’s hand. He wants more.

“Hmm, what about this then.”

Sho removes his hand, with Jun’s breath hitching as the upcoming orgasm retracts. A clicking, followed by a wet sound makes Jun stand completely still, controlled just by the hand over his mouth, Sho’s warning and the imagery of what Sho plans to do to him.

It is no surprise, yet Jun quietly gasps when Sho pushes at his back, to get Jun to lean just a little bit forward, and then cool fingers prod against his hole. Jun’s _“yes”_ becomes just a muffled “hmff”, until Sho removes his palm from Jun’s mouth. Where Jun thinks Sho does it to hear the sounds Jun makes, it turns out not to be quite the case, since Sho painfully pushes his thumb and pinkie into the hollow of Jun’s cheeks, and there is nothing Jun can do but open his mouth wide. Three fingers force themselves into Jun’s mouth, muffling his surprised cries and start a slick pulling back and forth over his tongue.

A whispery growl, “Suck.” And Sho nibbles against Jun’s earlobe, “Let’s see if your ass can fit equally many.” 

The gentle messaging at Jun’s entrance stops for Sho to push the first finger into Jun, and Jun cries out a moan around the relentless fingers in his mouth.

The slippery sound from Jun’s mouth working around Sho’s fingers does nothing to drown out the sound of Sho’s finger quickening its pace in and out of Jun as it works him more and more loose, and all the while Jun feels the strain on the muscles of his jaw, evident when drool escapes the corner of his mouth. Humiliation wells up in him, and he moans a pathetic garbled version of Sho’s name. Sho shushes the growing whine and kisses the side of Jun’s mouth, a soft reprieve just before he sneaks a second finger into Jun.

It burns so good, and Jun throws his head back to lay it on Sho’s shoulder, no longer able to take the sight of himself falling apart by Sho’s fingers only and arches his body lithely. The embarrassment is too much, especially when Sho’s husky chuckle accompanies Jun’s quiet whines when Jun starts to push backwards to get Sho to go deeper. _More._

Jun attemps to plead out a “harder,” which probably just comes out a garbled mumble.

It does not take more than that for Sho to comply, his fingers parting within Jun to stretch him, and Jun struggles to breathe through the mall bursts of pain, the following pleasure when Sho rubs against his prostate more than satisfactory to make up for it. The pleasure spikes, and Jun reaches backwards awkwardly to claw at Sho’s abs, in warning. It is starting to become too much, _too much_ , with Sho’s scent all over Jun, that dark spicy scent which in itself makes Jun so incredibly aroused and needy to have Sho close, closer still – Jun wonders if this is heightened due to that half-bond Sho spoke about –, and Sho’s fingers are so punishingly harsh moving in and out of Jun. Jun is going to fall over the edge, and his eyes widen to the ceiling.

Just then, Sho gasps beside Jun’s ear, “Look, Jun. Your eyes.” And the wonder in Sho’s voice makes Jun instantly comply, gaze dropping to the mirror and widening, “They’re so purple, like amethysts. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Sho chuckles in astonishment, “When I saw you for the first time, I thought there’s no way anything could be more beautiful than you, and yet now… Forgive me, if I cannot tear my eyes away.”

If Jun was not out of breath before, he is now, witnessing the glow like lilac starlight reflected back at him in the mirror. Between Sho’s scarlet eyes that seem to compete with his in the mirror, Jun’s eyes shimmer like the moonlight off the water’s surface, while Sho’s burn like embers and blood.

“That’s- Is that even possible?” Sho takes his fingers out of Jun’s mouth slowly for Jun to speak, and lets them slide down Jun’s chin, his neck and leave a wet trail all the way to Jun’s left nipple. The fingers in Jun’s hole are slowing down, for both of them to breathe and marvel at what they are clearly not imagining.

“It shouldn’t be. But I saw it when you woke up the first time, the purple sheen falling over your brown eyes,” Sho states in awe, only briefly turning his head to nose Jun’s hair, “Not unless you have vampire blood in you, should this be possible. Just drinking mine isn’t enough, and definitely not for this colour.”

Jun swallows. His eyelids are growing heavy, his erection desperately weeping, and really, how can Sho have time to blabber about this now.  Jun remembers the very first interview with Sho, when Sho told Jun about the difference between the looks of a lesser vampire and one bitten by a pureblood. Sho had told Jun that he was curious to see what Jun would look like, if Sho was to bite him. Back then the thought had disgusted Jun, and he was so arrogantly confident such a thing would never come to pass. But now… He throws his head back in a heady moan.

“Sho,” his voice is misty, but he doubts Sho cannot hear it, “ _Fuck_ me. I need you to fuck me.”

Sho hums and finally reluctantly turns his gaze from the mirror downwards, “Alright. Let’s ponder about your eyes in the morning. I, too, am impatient to feel you.” Sho draws out his fingers, only to thrust three back in, setting a merciless pace.

Jun groans long and loudly for Sho to really feel his frustration, before Jun turns his head to hiss. Only to discover a buzzing sensation in his gums, just above his canines. Slowly, Sho is raising his eyes, and when they focus on Jun’s mouth, a languid, sultry grin forms on his lips.

“Hmm, look at you. Already baring your fangs at me. Keep them sharp for a little later, Jun.” At that, he kisses the skin below Jun’s mouth, right on top of his mole, and then his fingers draw out completely from Jun’s now clenching hole, “Bend forward.”

Doing as he is told, Jun leans forward, just enough for Sho to use one hand to grab one of Jun’s buttocks and expose him and the other to spread Jun’s hole open with two fingers. Sho makes quite quick work of it, yet it feels like an eternity where Jun’s insides throb at the way Sho handles his body so easily. When finally, Jun feels the sensation of the blunt head of Sho’s cock against him, he sighs out in relief, knowing his ache is so close to being soothed.

Sho impales him in one, forceful thrust, and Jun’s sigh spears into a yell in combined pain and surprise. But Sho has prepared him well, and his new body adjusts and heals quickly, leaving only the delicious feeling of being full and stretched so good.

“Sho.” Jun sighs, before Sho pulls him back by his arm, Jun’s back and Sho’s chest aligning. And it sends Sho so deep, Jun releases a hitched sob at Sho touching what seems to be the end of him, “Ng-”

Fast and vicious is how Sho sets the pace, pulling out and thrusting back in in quick succession, taking Jun just the way Jun prefers. The fingers of one of Sho’s hands spread nicely over Jun’s upper thigh, scratching teasingly with his claws and pulling Jun back with each rut inwards and upwards, while Sho’s other hand keeps a restricting hold on Jun’s elbow, ensuring he stays upright. And Jun can only hold on with a hand on top of Sho’s by his hip for balance, perfectly restrained and unable to touch his own weeping cock.

“Listen to yourself, Jun. Do you like it this way? Open your eyes for me, Jun. Look at yourself.” Sho demands, mouthing Jun’s shoulder bone.

Jun is in no position to resist and follows Sho’s command. Only to get a good look at his own messed up state; his eyes that seem to glow even stronger with Sho taking him again and again, rocking Jun forward roughly, only to pull him back, the redness on his skin signalling his embarrassment and arousal at the sound of slapping skin and filthy pants in the dimly lit room. Jun’s erection is red and angry, precome running down the side and smearing on his lower abdomen.

“Please-” Jun’s words get stuck in his constricting throat and he cannot keep his eyes open.

The hand on his elbow suddenly lets go, for it to shoot up and grab a punishing hold around Jun’s neck, “Did I tell you, you could close your eyes? Keep them open.” Sho underlines the command by momentarily tightening his fingers around Jun’s windpipe and cutting off his air supply.

As soon as Jun opens his eyes, not without a struggle, Sho loosens his fingers again, “Good boy.” Almost like a reward, Sho digs his claws into Jun’s thigh, through skin, and simultaneously with Jun’s gasp, Sho’s cock drives in quick and hard, upwards and striking a spot that makes Jun see stars, and though nothing obstructs his windpipe, Jun has trouble breathing.

“Sh- S-” Jun can hardly speak, “Sho. Sho, please. It’s so good. _So good._ ”

Sho hums in reverence and approval, twisting Jun’s lower body a little just as he thrusts upwards again, striking around that bundle of nerves that made Jun react so strongly. And suddenly, Jun’s orgasm is approaching rapidly; so rapidly in fact that Jun panics a little.

“I’m close- Sho, I’m close.”

“You’re behaving so well, love. Taking me so well.”

Jun clenches around the hardness in him, when Sho’s hand tilts his head slightly to the side, fingers a threatening grip around his jaw. He feels so consumed and restricted, the pain and the claustrophobia delicious and only making him more delirious in pleasure.

_“Fuck.”_

The word has only just escaped him, when an excruciating pain cuts through his neck like four pointed daggers stabbing their way through muscle and bone and tearing a chunk out of his neck. But Jun’s silent scream is as much in pain as in pleasure, when the orgasm is pulled out of him, just like the blood Sho sucks out and gulps down in great heaves. The sensation of his blood being drawn out like this heightens his orgasm, and Jun knows for sure he stops breathing while it lasts, the pleasure blinding and short-circuiting his brain for a moment.

When its finally over and he falls slack in Sho’s arms, the tendrils of pain and ecstasy slipping away, he feels a stickiness spreading over his stomach, slowly comprehending that it is Sho, who is rubbing Jun’s come into his skin with the heel of his palm. Then Jun feels Sho breathing down his neck and collarbones, and a hand buried in Jun’s sweaty locks of hair.

Jun turns and finds his face close to Sho’s jaw as Sho rests his head over Jun’s shoulder. With the way Sho pulls back Jun’s head, the hint he gives is not in invitation as much as it is in command. Regardless, Jun feels his entire body yearning for it; suddenly his nostrils are full of the musky, spicy scent of Sho’s skin, and an underlying sweetness that as soon as Jun notices it, cuts through it all and muddles his brain. All he sees is the pulsing in Sho’s delicious protruding neck vein and in the next moment, Jun is grabbing a harsh hold on Sho’s hair, and he bites into the vein, fangs out of control and sinking in deep. Blood pours out of the wound and into Jun’s mouth, almost making him choke on it, when Sho’s hips stutter out of rhythm, yet still rut brutally hard into Jun’s very much oversensitive hole, making Jun’s fangs tear skin. Which does not seem to bother Sho at all. As Sho’s delicious and addicting blood runs down into Jun’s stomach, so does Sho’s come fill him when the vampire comes with a groan and his thighs shake. Which causes another wave – this one a little painful – to shake Jun, and a few pathetic droplets of come trickle down the sides of Jun’s cock, just as Jun sighs and Sho groans in heightened pleasure.

Then something seems to lock into place.

Suddenly, Jun picks up the sound of Sho’s heartbeat, slowing down from having escalated to a speed which would be very much lethal to humans, and the smell of Sho makes sense; not just leather, but fresh linen, bergamot leaves and whiskey. When Jun opens his eyes and finds Sho staring back at him, the colour of Sho’s irises, his skin and his hair seem enhanced, closer and so recognisable, Jun is sure he has done nothing but study it in fine detail all of his life. He suddenly feels closer to Sho than to anyone he has ever known, sure that even this close, Jun will never find it to be enough, unless he can crawl inside Sho and stay there forever; for their bodies to merge into one. That would be perfect.

Sho’s deep chuckle seems to vibrate through his chest and into his heart, the rumble smooth and calming, making Jun feel warmer than ever, “That won’t be possible, love.”

Jun blinks, only able to pull himself a little bit out of this mist before he seems to be pulled down again. It is so comforting, this state, “Can you read my mind?”

Sho’s kiss tastes of blood and pure lust, “Not exactly, but I can feel your emotions and needs as clearly as if you’d told me.”

“That-” Jun sighs in content, “We’re bonded.”

“Mm. We are. I can feel all of you now, Jun.” Jun opens his mouth for Sho’s tongue when Sho kisses him again, yet Sho draws away before it can deepen, much to Jun’s disappointment, “Yet…”

Jun feels himself slowly surfacing now, out of the haze, and he starts to realise that Sho has yet to pull out of him. As a matter of fact, Sho still appears to be hard.

“- I haven’t had enough of you, of my mate.” Sho finishes, and the next thing Jun perceives is the pain and shock of being slammed against something unrelenting and hard, a pointed edge cutting into his backside. Sho licks a long, bold line up his chest, having turned Jun and pushed him up against a drawer, and when he laves across Jun’s nipple, fresh desire seems to enter Jun’s bloodstream, and he throws his head back in a moan. The pain is also very quickly fading, and Jun doubts there will even be a bruise tomorrow.

“I promised you, I’d break you, Jun. And it takes more than just a good beating and a round of sex to make a vampire sore.”

As claws pierce through to the bone of Jun’s hips, Sho’s fangs dig in around Jun’s left nipple and Sho starts thrusting back into Jun, who is stretched and slippery and so open for Sho’s thick cock, and Jun senses that Sho will not stop until Jun is nothing but a ragdoll on the bed – or on the floor – from multiple orgasms. The lewd squelch from between Jun’s legs turns Jun on more than it should, knowing how Sho’s scent must be _all over_ him now; his come and his blood in Jun. But so must Jun’s scent be a part of Sho’s body. This is how they are one; through sex and mutual feeding. The thought is so dirty and alien, yet so right for the person and creature, Jun is now. For a human, such things would be beyond comprehension, but for a vampire it is basic instinct and thus simply natural.

Shun was quite right; vampire sex is something else entirely. With quite a nice refractory period as a human, Jun wonders – while he still has the brain capacity to do so – who will break down first, him or Sho. Might as well test it now.

By the end of it, there are several indents in the wall from where Sho has slammed Jun up, the drawer is probably beyond saving and Sho has moved Jun into his own bedroom and politely asked Iwai – who actually smiled as he looked between them – to change the sheets, air the room and please clean every surface _and_ the floor. Jun knows he should be embarrassed, but he merely feels immensely content and happy, finally having calmed down after so many orgasms – he lost count after five, and his throat is raw from screaming. In the last round, Jun rode Sho on the bed, making him come by whispering teasing, sweet nothings into Sho’s ear and bragging about that this – sexual drive in bed – was where Jun could likely beat Sho with Jun’s stamina beating Sho by one round. Its all about the small victories.

 

*

 

Bonded and almost back to full strength, Sho enters the council room for the first time in fifteen days. After the mating with Jun and plenty of blood – curtesy of Nino, who is surprisingly quite the motherhen – Sho feels almost like himself again. A vampire’s heath depends very much on their mental state, even more so than humans, and Sho has witnessed more than a few vampires deteriorate into nothing in their sorrow after the loss of a mate. Sho does not doubt he would have found himself amongst those victims, had Jun not survived. Now, he feels he can become stronger than ever.

It is a clear fact, that Sho smells different now. The moment he steps over the threshold to the windowless room, all heads turn towards him, several sets of eyes briefly on guard before they realise that it is Sho, and not a stranger.

“Sakurai-kun.” Okada is the first one to jump to his side, closely followed by Mizukawa who is hiding a relieved smile and eyes that are a little glassy. Okada slaps Sho’s shoulder hard and friendly, “We’re very happy to hear your mate is recovering.”

During Sho’s absence, Ninomiya has been his unexpected stand-in. With Murao out of the picture, Okada’s intimidating power of persuation, and Nino’s cunning it was a small feat to get Nino to sit in Sho’s place, until his return. All of Sho’s decisions went through Nino and those that did not, the statements and decisions Nino made for himself, all aligned with what Sho would have done. With Okada and Mizukawa supporting him, things have been going rather well. Now that he is back, Sho plans to convince the members that having Ninomiya permanently amongst them would be a great benefit, with his wit and his knack for gathering intel. Unless, the other council members decide that Sho is no longer fit to be here, after killing Murao. Which will undoubtedly be the main topic of discussion today, and Sho honestly does not know what the result will be.

The law amongst vampires states that the killing of a pureblood’s mate is punishable by death; it is the greatest crime one can commit, but in Sho and Jun’s case, the technicalities get in the way of justifying Sho’s murder of Murao Nobutaka.

Sho knows he smells of Jun, of a new bonding, but the two of them were only something along the lines of ‘half-mates’ when Murao attempted to kill Jun. Judging by Okada’s words however and knowing how he has worked alongside Sho to project Jun, the vampire appears to fully view Jun as Sho’s mate, both before and after the incident. In spite of this, Okada is only one vampire, there is no way Sho can know how the others will react, especially considering Murao’s status. With having been absent for two weeks, Sho does not know how the dynamics have changed after the pureblood’s death. Ninomiya reported back to Sho after each meeting, mostly with good news and several times gave Sho the impression that there would be no trouble, that Sho is still regarded as a high-standing member of the council.

Sho lets his gaze skim over the room, analysing each face; Domoto and Takizawa who do not meet his eyes, Mizukawa who looks at him with encouragement, Higashiyama who is boldly staring back at Sho, but with his hands folded and an unreadable expression on his face. Before his eyes reach Akanishi Jin, the young vampire stands up and clears his throat to gather attention. Sho narrows his eyes and mentally prepares himself for a fight that comes just a moment earlier than he had thought it would.

“Sakurai-san,” Sho cannot read the look in Akanishi’s eyes, or perhaps it is simply because the vampire has never looked at Sho like this before, “I am sorry to hear about your mate.” And then he bows deeply, low over the table, and Sho is stunned into silence.

What Akanishi just did was not simply acknowledging Jun as Sho’s mate, but he showed the greatest sign of respect a vampire can show a pureblood who has experienced great tragedy. This is not the person Sho expected to be the first to show his support. Naturally, it makes Sho a little suspicious. Is Akanishi doing this because he realises with Murao no longer here to cover his back, going against Sho will be riskier and so winning Sho’s favour will result in better chances of survival? Or is he being genuine? When Akanishi met Jun, there was everything but acceptance to find in his words and his eyes. So why would he go and so easily accept Jun now? Sho wonders if it has something to do with the unfortunate circumstances of Akanishi’s own mating.

“That is- that is very kind of you,” Sho answers stiffly, tilting his head in return. There is no reason to interrogate Akanishi now.

That is when Higashiyama gets up from his seating beside Akanishi. The elegant vampire appears to float through the room to Sho’s side, where he does not hesitate to place a hand on Sho’s shoulder, “What you did was justifiable, Sakurai-san. I think we’d all have been surprised and disappointed if our ruthless executioner didn’t act immediately to the attack on his mate.”

Sho accepts the sentiment, and things seem to solve themselves after that. With the majority of the council members standing behind him, giving their support and showing understanding, the remaining two can only bow their heads stiffly and agree. Joshima appears as quiet and meek as usual, and Sho notes that after this, he needs to have a serious conversation with the vampire, to know if this council room really is where Joshima should be. Takizawa leers at Sho despite how he too shows signs of cooperation, and Sho knows that this is the vampire he needs to watch out for in the future. Beside him stands Domoto, as usual, with a pout on his face, though Sho detects fear in his eyes. It is clear that none of them expected this outcome. And if Sho is being honest, neither did he.

“Thank you, all of you, for understanding the situation. I never expected the differences between Murao-san and I to lead to this. This is truly not what I wished for.” Sho makes sure to look each of the vampires in the eyes, “Murao-san was a well-respected member of this council for far longer than any of us, and his experience and knowledge were valuable assets.” Sho’s hate for the older vampire still burns like a fresh flame, for his role in what has now happened to Jun. Jun may be alive, but Sho will never forget the sorrow on his face when he discovered that he was no longer human, and the sound of his weeping as he accepted the first bag of blood will probably continue to haunt Sho’s dreams on solitary nights, “Let’s continue to move forward towards our common goal of cooperation with the human council, to protect the vampire society and bridge the differences between humans and vampires.”

When there is nothing more to say, Sho bows once again to all of them before moving to sit down. Okada is still on his left-hand side, and as the second-oldest, Higashiyama takes over Murao’s place by Sho’s right hand. The vampire has yet to show Sho his stance on the vampire-human issue and has more often than not remained in the background, all-seeing eyes watching Sho and Murao battle out their differing views and methods. That will have to change now, Sho wants Higashiyama to show his hand, and lend it in the conflict.

“The council has been in regular correspondence with Muro Tsuyoshi-san,” Higashiyama informs Sho, once they are all seated, and the air is cleared of suspicion and doubt, “Ninomiya-san has been the one in regular contact with the human, and we’ve heard your mate may be of some assistance in this case. Muro-san has time and time again expressed a wish to meet with him, along with Mizukawa-san’s contact, Mizuhara-san. Ninomiya-san disclosed that your mate is a journalist. Do you think there is a chance of a meeting being possible, Sakurai-san?” Sho can find no prejudice in Higashiyama’s eyes, although he, like all the others, has known about the human journalist Sho has met with time and time again. He of all people, can put two and two together. Yet, he shows no sign of letting whatever his opinion is on that story affect the task at hand, and for that, Sho’s respect for him grows.

“Jun is recovering quickly,” Sho informs them, finally choosing to disclose Jun’s name, with the knowledge that this is also what Jun wants. No more secrets, “I will pass this information on to him, but I doubt he will refuse. From the beginning, he has been very eager to help bring the councils closer together, and I suspect he still plans to pursue that goal, in whatever new line of work, he finds, since he is no longer an employee at the Yomiuri Shimbun.”

 

The brief meeting ends, with Sho being tasked with calling Muro – who has turned out to really only have good intentions – to proceed further with negotiations and the possibility of joining forces. Sho supposes it is only appropriate, given how Jun was the one whom Muro called first, a couple of weeks ago. The human will surely be surprised to meet Jun as a vampire, and Sho owes him an apology for the threats and Sho’s offensive behaviour in the heat of the moment.

Okada pulls Sho to the side in front of the meeting room, where the members split up and head in separate directions, “Sakurai-kun, with your permission, I’d very much like to meet your mate. Officially this time. If he has your blood in his veins, it means he’s strong, and I could use more men.” It is like Okada to be direct, but the bold statement does make Sho’s face grow hard. Okada and his men have done much for Sho in trying to keep Jun safe from harm, and although Sho knows the attack on Jun is hardly Okada’s fault, part of him is bitter and has not quite forgiven Okada’s team for not being there when they were needed most.

Additionally, the thought of Okada suggesting they put Jun’s life in danger _again,_ and willingly, nearly makes Sho growl at his friend. The reaction would be considered normal, since Sho is protective of his new mate, but offending Okada will get them nowhere. What makes it even worse is that Jun would be very prone to like the work Okada can offer, with his curious and cunning nature. Hell, Sho even suspects Jun would be brilliant as an agent.

“I appreciate your wish to meet with him, Okada-kun,” Sho clenches his jaw and reins in his rising anger, “But it is way too early to put him out there again. I only just got him back, and he is not a _tool_. He’s my mate, and I will not let you put his life in danger.”

Okada’s smile falls as he seems to realise what he just asked for. The vampire is strong and loyal, and Sho appreciates their friendship, but Okada is a warrior at heart, and thus has a hard time sympathizing with the need of family, of love. In the past, this quality made Okada untouchable, but in this day and age, where there is mostly peace, and wars are fought politically, connections and friends are what keeps a vampire alive. And in Sho’s case, Jun is what keeps him alive.

“Sho-kun-”

“Let’s not discuss this in the near future, Okada-kun. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m impatient to return home to my mate.”

Okada knows Sho well enough not to get offended at the dismissal, and Sho deeply hopes his friend will try to understand Sho’s situation and the feelings Sho holds for Jun, to realise how the relationship with the human – now vampire – has changed Sho for the better.

Until then, Jun will likely be more than sufficiently occupied with working with Mizuhara, whom he has talked about meeting with, since he woke up this morning, sated and exhausted after their mating. Perhaps he is simply curious, but Sho suspects Jun wants work to distract him from thinking of what he had and lost, and what he was close to losing recently. So easily sensing his mate’s regretful emotions, Sho still grieves that turning Jun into a vampire was the only way. Though now, Jun can sense Sho’s emotions as well and will soon discover Sho’s relief that follows with Jun’s turning. Not only did it safe Jun’s life, but it ensured that Sho will have more time together with Jun, than what a human life could give them. Jun will now age like Sho, and all those things they wish for, but cannot accomplish in a single human lifetime, are now possible.

Their journey, and test, together as a couple starts now, and Sho expects many upcoming trials that he hopes will only bring them closer together with their common dreams and goals. Whatever happens, however, Sho knows he will sacrifice anything to be allowed to stay by Jun’s side.

Though there is one puzzle Sho wishes to solve more than anything. And that is the mystery of Jun’s purple eyes.

-

Before heading home, Sho makes a small detour past his office, wanting to check that everything still looks the same. It feels like a lifetime since he sat in his fancy leather chair, facing Muro Tsuyoshi, and he got that phone call from Nino, that emergency pattern, he had never hoped they would ever have to use. He wants to go back to the mundane, the days where he did not fear for his mate’s life and seeing his office again will lift some of the stress and tension of the past weeks.

He finds a brown paper bag and a tall paper cup on his desk and stops short.

“Nino-”

“Sorry about the ambush, Sho-chan.”

Sho turns around just as Ninomiya closes the door behind him, looking a little sheepish with his hands in his pockets. However, he seems to be avoiding Sho’s eyes.

“Chocolate muffin?”

“And Blue Mountain.”

“Sit down.” Sho gestures to the chair in front of his desk, for Ninomiya to sit, and instead of letting the desk get between them, he pulls his own desk chair around to the other side. This is not a meeting with an associate, this is his friend who clearly has something weighing on his heart, and Sho thoroughly intends to listen.

“I owe you an apology.” Nino says as soon as Sho plants his body in the chair and immediately gets the impression that Nino is in a hurry to get this out. Knowing his friend has never been good at saying sorry, Sho feels a quiet settling on his mind, and he tilts his head patiently for Nino to continue, “I haven’t exactly been… fair to Jun-kun during the two weeks he was recovering.”

Ninomiya was the first to protest and the last to give in, when Sho concluded that the only way to save Jun was to give him Sho’s blood and turn him into a vampire. Actually, Sho’s friend had to be held back with a hand on his shoulder by Shigeaki while Sho tore his own wrist open with his fangs and forced the blood down Jun’s throat, before biting down deep enough into the main artery at the side of Jun’s neck. By doing this out in the open, having Jun drain a large part of the blood in his body, Sho put himself in grave danger if any of his enemies wanted to harm him. And Ninomiya did not hesitate to let Sho know this time and time again during the hours it took before Sho dared to lift Jun into his arms and hope for the best. However, Sho theorized and counted on the fact that now that Murao was out of the picture, none of his associates and lackies dared to make a move of their own, especially when Okada and his men had hunted down and detained those who attacked Jun. Needless to say, those abominable scum are no longer walking, just like their superior is not. Sho took Jun home then, and watched over him for 13 long days, doing nothing but hope and give him blood every time Jun started gasping and tossing in his death-like sleep. And all the while, Ninomiya stood beside Sho, watching from the shadows with a grave expression and dislike in his golden scowl.

Time and time again, he would ask Sho how long the torture had to be dragged out, how long Sho was going to keep himself in such a vulnerable state. _“Is he really worth it, that human?”_ Ninomiya would ask, _“You’ve lived for centuries, is it really worth wasting your life on him?”_

Exactly because Sho has known Ninomiya for most of Ninomiya’s life, he did not take offence at the cruel words aimed at his love. For he knew, and still knows, Ninomiya spoke those words not of disapproval and dislike of Jun, but because he was afraid. After all, Nino knows how happy Jun makes Sho, he knew, before Sho himself realised it, how much Jun meant and mean _s_ to Sho. He was the one who urged Sho to not give up, but to pursue Jun and overcome their misunderstandings. Nino even went and met up with Jun, and Sho has him to thank for Jun showing up at Sho’s party.

“Sho-chan, I remember very little from before… before I knew you.” Nino still has trouble meeting Sho’s eyes, fidgeting with the fabric of the cushion, “I think, if I hadn’t met you, if you hadn’t been there at that moment to pull me out of the nightmare, there wouldn’t have been an ‘after’ for me.”

The truth is, Ninomiya grew up alone after he was bitten by a rampant vampire. In his blood craze, Ninomiya forgot about his family, he forgot about his human life and he forgot himself. Years later, Sho found him a young, hardened vampire who had learned to fend for himself the hard way, damaged not only mentally but physically. Sho had been tracking down a group of vampires illegally selling bagged blood to any vampire who could afford it, the blood often mixed and toxic to vampires who did not know about the danger of mixed blood, desperate in their hunger for any sustenance. The second in command of that group was Ninomiya Kazunari, and Sho got him out of there, recognizing his talent and the lonely soul behind jaded eyes.

“I have no one but you.” Some time ago, Ninomiya made the ridiculous vow of never showing tears, but there are other ways to read the vampire’s sadness. When he finally looks up, his eyes look too glossy, and the set of his mouth clearly shows that Ninomiya is regretful and afraid, “So when you seemed so easily ready to give up your life for a human, I couldn’t take it. Because I wasn’t ready to give you up to a stranger, even if I do quite like Jun-pon. That’s why I acted so selfishly, and so coldly towards the man who’s now your mate. I didn’t realise, until now, that the whole process brought us both something worth the risk and pain. You got a mate, and I was lucky enough to gain two more friends – one who is an idiot, but he means well, so I tolerate him. For my mistakes and my thoughtless behaviour, I am truly sorry. I was wrong, and I hurt you and Jun-kun.” Abruptly, Nino stands up to press his hands to his sides and bow deeply.

Sho thinks his friend is overdoing it, but acknowledges that Nino needed to clear the air, perhaps cleansing his own mind in the process. The vampire is so often making jokes, snarky and humorous, but Sho knows that is Nino’s way of dealing with the pain and the struggle it is for him to forget his past.

“Please stand straight, Kazu.” Sho reaches out to put a hand on Nino’s shoulder, smiling through the dull ache in his chest, “I am sorry for the pain this whole ordeal caused you. I was so fixated on saving Jun, that I didn’t realise the struggle you went through, which is unforgiveable, given all that you’ve done for me. And despite of what you just said, you stood up for Jun in that alley. You came to his aid, regardless of your chances against those vampires, and you called me as soon as you could. I remember the blood all over your hands, Kazu. You tried your best to save him too. You didn’t have to, yet you did, and I will never forget that.”

Nino chews on his bottom lip, and Sho smiles, pulling his friend into a brief embrace, “I owe you so much. I owe you Jun’s life, and you will never be alone again, I will make sure of that.”

“Can you make Oh-chan fall for me too then? Because I’m seriously struggling with that,” Sho chuckles and pulls away, glad to see the return of the Nino, he knows, “The other day, I tried to lean in and kiss his cheek when he bent down to place the cup of coffee before me, and yet he managed to avoid it! I thought I was fast, humans are not supposed to be able to match my speed.”

“I’m sure he’ll come around at some point. He’s quite shy, you know.”

Ninomiya pouts when they sit back down, and Sho reaches for the paper bag with his favourite muffin.

“I really ought to thank you for the incredible job, you’ve done for me while I was away. It appears, you’ve even charmed the proud Asami-san,” Sho winks, thinking back on what Mizukawa told him about Nino as they were leaving the council room. It appears the female may have developed a small crush on the smart-mouthed vampire, “You’ll likely receive an important phone call soon, so do be sure to keep your phone turned on. We have an empty chair, and you must’ve learned how much the council hates empty chairs.” Sho bends down to fetch a small package of napkins from his briefcase, opening the plastic and pulling out two small sheets. Contrary to the norm, Sho breaks the chocolate goodness in two, with as much precision as he can muster, and pushes one half towards Nino, on a napkin. Sho never shares his muffin, but today is a very special day, “I sense a great change is coming our way.”

“A good change, I hope.” Ninomiya accepts the muffin, even if he rarely eats sweets.

“We’ll make it good.”

 

*

 

**19 months later**

“A host should be with his guests. You know that better than anyone.”

“Mmmm, but I am not ready to hand you over to the crowd yet.” Sho’s voice rumbles over Jun’s skin, his hand under Jun’s shirt in the blink of an eye, caressing his stomach.

Jun knows using his scolding voice would only have the opposite effect on the affectionate vampire, who is currently wrapped tightly around Jun, tonguing the skin at his collarbones. The cellar provides the darkness needed, even their scents are covered up slightly by that of grapes and old oak.

“You’re usually pretty good at keeping your hands to yourself, until a party is over.”

“It’s your fault for looking so delectable tonight.” Jun does not have the strength to hold back a moan, as Sho continues to rub his hand over Jun’s lower abdomen, Jun’s blue shirt hiking up further, “My ring looks good on you.” Sho takes Jun’s hand and lifts it towards the dim, yellow light coming from the stairwell, and the heavy silver shines back mistily from years of wear. On the inside sits a carmine stone, implanted right before Christmas. Sho kisses Jun’s fingertips.

“Don’t you think your guests are getting pretty impatient? We did promise Aiba a good bottle of wine.”

Jun grins at Sho’s groan, “Yeah, _you_ did.”

“You told me to get him one.”

Sho’s eyes glimmer dangerously as the shadows dance over his face, and a tingle of anticipation runs down between Jun’s legs.

“Guess when my mate is telling me to be patient, I should comply.”

“That’s right.” Jun presses up against Sho, knowing he is close to having Sho right where he wants him. He leans in and tilts his head, mouth but a breath away from Sho’s, and both sets of red and purple eyes dart to parted lips, but Jun decides to wait, “I promise you, it’ll be worth it.”

The husk in his voice clearly does things to Sho, Jun can feel it within himself how Sho’s arousal grows, his wish to pounce and dominate making his senses vibrate, but Sho does not move, he lets Jun control him, and it makes Jun’s anticipation for the end of this party rise. He wonders how much of Sho’s mansion is insured.

Finally, in what feels like a great pull of strength, Jun steps back, raising the wine like a shield between them, “Shall we get back to your birthday party?”

“Don’t remind me.” Sho’s arm naturally wraps around Jun’s waist as they walk back up the stairs, “434 years…”

“It’s not like you really age anyway.”

Only Toma’s yell of “Booze!” implies that any of the guests were impatient for Sho and Jun to return. Nino is occupied with showing Ohno one of his many card tricks, and Aiba seems plenty happy with a bottle of old sake between him and Shun.

Iwai comes in with a tray of fresh sashimi, Hokkaido butter and pumpkin scones, his whole face alight in a smile. The old vampire is clearly happy to see this room occupied with so many people Sho can call his friends, his family. These individuals are not here for pretence or extravagant invitations, they are here to celebrate the host, to spend time in good company. Jun wonders how long its been – if ever – since there was a family dinner here, the Sakurai family gathered and enjoying each other’s company…

Jun peeks at Sho with a tilt of his head, witnesses the warmth in his eyes when he tells Toma to quiet down with the yelling. They have come so far in only a year and a half, and Jun knows there is more to come. Half-way on writing his book, Jun cannot wait to see it go into publishing. The sales are almost guaranteed according to Muro Tsuyoshi, who is currently telling a vivid story to Asami, while she good-naturedly listens although her attention keeps drifting to Okada. She has come to terms with the fact that Nino only has eyes for Ohno, and as such has turned her charms on Okada, although Jun suspects she cannot quite choose whether to go for him or Kiko, who sits to Okada’s right, elegantly nibbling on a slice of sashimi.

This family has grown much bigger than Jun ever imagined it would, in such a short time. Jun works as a freelance journalist now, with Toma and Shun helping him after they decided to quit the Yomuiri Shimbun too and instead work for Jun. They pretended it was because of too heavy a workload, but Jun knows about the goodness of their hearts, knows they are doing this to help Jun, and so Jun wants to make sure it is worth it for them. Even if it means commanding them a little to push harder for their articles, and scolding them a little once in a while, so their private team, company – whatever it will become in the future – can earn money and grow. Muro is proving to be a great help, and Jun has met up with his contact a couple of times now; the eccentric Maruyama Ryuhei, to discuss angles for collaborative articles aimed at the human population. Kiko too has joined these meetings, and the three of them already have several projects in the works. In secret, Jun dreams of establishing a newspaper company aimed at both human and vampire readers. In the meantime, Sho has mentioned Okada’s wish to bring Jun into his force of agents, though Okada has not said anything to Jun directly – Jun is sure Sho is to thank for that – but that will have to wait at least a year, before Jun’s body and schedule is ready for any kind of training. And with the knowledge of how worried out of his mind Sho will be every day Jun goes into the field, Jun thinks the job offer will need a lot of consideration on Jun’s part.

Sho pulls at Jun’s hand and brings him along to the table, beside Ohno and Nino, where there is a free chair. Jun remains standing for a moment to place the bottle of wine near Toma, just until Sho’s hands on Jun’s hips brings Jun into his lap, facing Sho. It has become very natural for Jun, these open displays of affection, the need to always be close to his mate, and showcase it. And here, no one stares weirdly at the two of them for it. In human society, this kind of display is unusual and causes weird stares, but for vampires it is very normal to show off a relationship. Quite basically, it is a way for mates to signal possession and exchange scents, and the more and bolder displays, the healthier the relationship. To begin with, Aiba would be unable to refrain from staring at their behaviour, but now he, like Shun and Toma – who still tease Jun about it once in a while – hardly notices. Sho nuzzles into Jun’s neck, inhaling, just as Ninomiya finishes a cardtrick with a proud yell, and Ohno turns around to look at Jun.

“Are they taking proper care of my coffee machine?”

Nino’s face hits the table hard, right between a set of cards, and Jun feels sorry for him.

“No one is touching your machine, Ohno-kun.” Sho assures the man, stroking Jun’s back gently, “You have my word.”

“Ok.” Ohno turns around again, “Are you ok, Nino?”

“I’m fine.” Nino’s voice does not sound fine, but Jun knows Ninomiya probably will not give up on Ohno in this lifetime, the small vampire is too stubborn for that.

“Why don’t you go fetch another pack of beers in the kitchen?” Sho suggests, “Bring Ohno-kun with you so he can check on his machine.”

If Ohno is afraid of being alone with Nino, he does not show it, rising almost as eagerly from his chair as Nino, but probably for an entirely different reason. Sometimes, Jun wonders if Ohno is not a lost cause, in love as he is with his coffee.

“That was clever of you.” Jun rests his head on Sho’s shoulder, sensing the exchange of mutual calm and feeling of home between them, their scents one when they are this close.

“If there is anything, I can do for Nino, I will. A shame, I cannot magically make Ohno-kun fall for him.”

“Hmm.” Jun mumbles and places a brief kiss to Sho’s jaw. An inkling tells Jun the problem is not that Ohno cannot fall for Ninomiya, it is something else.

“And you two still appear to be in perfect harmony,” Asami comments as she leans over the table across from them. She is smiling, and Jun detects nothing but goodwill in her words, “Looks like a healthy relationship, right Junichi-san?” She pokes Okada in the ribs with an elbow that makes him start.

“Right,” regaining his composure, Okada appears to catch Sho’s eye and winks, and Jun feels shy all of a sudden, “With these bold displays, I bet the relationship will last forever. It’s rare you see a pair this glued to each other, isn’t it? It’s a very good sign.”

The words make Jun think of Akanishi Jin. About his recently annulled bond with Shibasaki Kou and how he will not be able to mate again. Not all matings are meant to be, some lead to great unhappiness, and the young male vampire has become almost an entirely different person, brighter and with a light in his eyes now. Whenever they meet, he apologizes to Jun, and he shows Sho and Jun both deep respect.

Sho’s arms tighten around Jun, pulling him closer and effectively pressing their chests flush against each other. Jun feels himself redden, although he should be used to this by now, with Sho having no qualms about showing off whom Jun belongs to, “Even a hundred years from now, I won’t be able to stay away, to keep my hands off you,” Sho whispers just to Jun, though Jun does not need the words spoken to know. He can smell it in Sho’s scent, feel it in Sho’s behaviour and the mysterious bond between them. Sho’s eyes glimmer red, reminding Jun of crimson fireflies, and Jun sees and feels such deep devotion, it resonates within himself, the feeling mutual. There is nothing, he would not do for Sho, and he is certain that fact will never change.

For the past year, Sho and Jun have focused on their relationship above anything else; above articles, above conflict and above negotiations. They did not have to discuss it, it came naturally when Sho started coming home from his office earlier, picking Jun up at his apartment for lunch, for dinner, for a night in Sho’s mansion. Not a week after Jun’s turning, Aiba almost kicked Jun out the door with a knowing look in his eyes and a shake of his head. A day after Jun moved out, Nino moved into Jun’s room which set off suspicions about a conspiracy between Aiba and Nino, but ultimately Jun felt thankful. Living with Sho is the right thing, because Jun misses his mate the second they part, wanting nothing but to be near him all the time. Jun would have felt clingy, had Sho not confessed to feeling the same thing. Essentially, Jun becoming a vampire changed many things, including priorities.

The two of them, and their little group still struggle with the ‘cold war’ between humans and vampires, and they will likely continue to do so for many years, but Sho and Jun are beginning to realise that something is more important than that. What drives them now is less so the conflict – instead they dream of each other and the family they are becoming, the life they are working to create together. They are finally happy. As they are now. The world around them is still not at peace, but theirs are, their individual inner turmoil they have been suppressed by has reached stability, through the presence of the other. Jun feels like he has found his other half, in Sho, and together they are whole. And that is important to linger on and breathe in. Their happiness is what matters, in the end. If not, life would turn into self-sacrifice, and that is not fair. Jun does not wish for Sho to sacrifice any more, Jun does not wish to see his love struggle again, and thus he will do whatever he can to ensure the well-being of his mate. And Sho has done more than imply he would do the same for Jun. They both agree that this fight is only worth so much, that they will not sacrifice their bond to win. Jun reasons this level of selfishness must be fair.

And so that leads them here, celebrating Sho’s birthday with their friends, enjoying the life they fought to keep, the bond they went through a great deal to find. To share stories of it amongst the people they care for and trust. Later, they will retreat into quiet, to forget everything around them, to be together in a world that belongs just to the two of them.

Wrapped around each other, eternal life is no longer a curse; the endless hours and moments of struggle are a valuable part of being mated, and Jun looks forward to it. It was worth the wait.

 

_The universe could be falling apart, caving in on itself, but your embrace, your presence would drown out the noise of world collapse._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've wanted to do my take on the vampire trope for years, and now I finally felt I could do it justice.  
> This took forever. I kept adding and adding, and at the end I just had to tell myself "You know what, you're going to be working on this forever if you don't post right now."  
> Sorry for the quiet, I've been working on this since February. Hope it was worth it for you guys, it was for me ^^  
> Initially inspired by 'Interview with the Vampire' by Anne Rice, but then took a life of its own.
> 
> I found great motivation and inspiration in Kamelot's album 'The Shadow Theory'.


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